Till Death do us Part
by TenJulie
Summary: Year 2025. This takes place roughly two years after The Cursed Child. Ginny kicked Harry out, and left him. Draco unexpectedly helps Harry get back on his feet, and through the rough times ahead. Will this be the start of a beautiful new friendship, or will it turn out to be something else entirely?
1. Ch1 What Happened

What Happened

Harry sat hunched over his desk in his office thinking about the past weeks. One memory in particular was haunting him.

 _Harry and Ginny were standing in the kitchen of their cottage, arguing. Harry wasn't sure what they were arguing about or how they started arguing. All he remembers is Ginny yelling "Harry Potter how could you?!"_

 _"I don't know what I did Ginny. Please tell me what I did."_

 _"You know what you did, Harry Potter! How could you?! I trusted you!"_

 _"Ginny. Please." he says as he takes a step towards Ginny, and she takes a step back._

 _"I can't look at you any more! I want you out!"_ _she says as she avoided his gaze, by looking at the floor._

 _"But..."_

 _"Out!" she said pointing in the direction of the front door._

 _Harry looked at her confused, trying to figure out if she really meant what she said. After a while Ginny looked up at him before quickly looking at the floor again. In that split second Harry noticed the hurt in her eyes and the tears that were starting to welling up inside them. "Okay" he said softly. "Let me just get a few things then I'll go."_

 _"Thank you." Ginny said softly, finally putting her hand down. Harry turned and walked to their room to pack a few clothes, and other necessities._

 _About twenty minutes later Harry came back into the kitchen with a suitcase in hand. Ginny was sitting at the table with her head in her hands sobbing. "Ginny." Harry whispered. When he realized that she wasn't going to look up he continued "Please tell me what I did. I can't fix it if I don't know what I did"._

 _"Then figure it out then Harry!" she screamed slamming her hands onto the table._ _"Now GET! OUT!"_

 _Harry reluctantly left the cottage. He stood outside and exhaled creating a small cloud of condensation, in the cold night air. He looked up at the stars for a moment then disapparated._

Harry was glad that that fight had happened when the kids were in school. He didn't care to imagine what his kids would think if they had seen that. The only thing he did wish for was someone to talk to about it.

"Ron _,_ when are you coming back?" He said remembering the rest of the events of that night.

 _Standing outside Ron and Hermione's_

 _Harry knocked on the door. "Hermione. It's me, Harry. Please open the door." he said._

 _Hermione opened the door, saying "Harry, it's one o'clock in the morning, what are you doing here?"_

 _"I'm really sorry Hermione. I just..." he started before having to take a breath. "Ginny and I... we... she..." tears started to form in his eyes and he had to look away from Hermione's worry stricken face._

 _"She kicked you out didn't she?" she whispered._

 _"H...How did you know?" he said looking back up at her letting a tear ran down his cheek._

 _Hermione looked down at the floor before saying "Come in Harry." and opens the door. Harry walked in."You should sit down" Hermione says as she motions to the couch. they sit down and after a moment of silence Hermione begins to speak. "Ginny told me. Well she told me that you two were having problems. she never went into much detail but, she told me that she couldn't look at you anymore. She told me that she was going to kick you out, and I was sworn to secrecy. I'm sorry Harry. I really am."_

 _Harry didn't say anything. He could barely find the strength to breath. He looked heartbroken, crushed that one of his best friends didn't to anything to help him, or at least worn him._

 _"You can stay here for tonight." Hermione said getting up from the couch. She walked out of the room and came back a few minutes later with a pillow and blanket. She set them down beside Harry, who was looking at the floor. "Harry." she said catching his attention. "I really am sorry. You can stay here for as long as you need."_

 _"Thanks Hermione." he croaked._

 _She left the room, and Harry laid on the couch, burring his face into the pillow she had brought._

"Potter!" A voice yelled followed by a pale white fingers snapping in front of his face. Harry's head whipped up from his hands to see Draco Malfoy leaning over his desk, his face five feet away from his own. He jumped back further in his seat.

"Malfoy. What are you doing here?" He said confused. The confusion in his voice slowly turned to a bit of shock as he said "How long have you been in here?"

Draco smirked as he stood up strait. "A little before you mentioned Weasley. You're not living here, are you Potter?" he said looking around the room. There was clothes scattered all across the floor and a scrunched up blanket on the couch with a pillow on top if it. His eyes landed on a pair of boxers on the floor by the couch on the opposite side of the room.

"So, what if I am Malfoy?" Harry said.

Malfoy turned to face Harry and calmly said, "This is no way to live Potter. What does your wife say about you living here? Does she not care?"

Before Harry could stop himself he said "She kicked me out. I have no where to go."

Malfoy raised his eyebrows in disbelief. "So the Great Harry Potter has women problems just like the rest of us." he said, a little venom behind his words.

"Why are you here Malfoy?" Harry said. He could feel his anger rising to the surface, but tried to stuff it down as he got up from his chair.

"This," Draco said holding up a letter "came to my office, by mistake. It's addressed to you." he handed the letter over to Harry.

Harry took the letter from Malfoy. He knew who it was from instantly. He smiled 'Ginny' he thought. "Thank you." He said still looking at the letter.

Malfoy nodded and walked to the door. "You know Potter," he said as he opened the door. "You could always stay with me, if you wanted." Harry looked up from the letter confused at Draco, but before he could say anything Draco left closing the door behind him.

Harry looked back at the letter. "I don't think I'll be needing that invitation." he said, as he opened the letter. He sat back in his chair and read the letter.

 **Harry,**

 **It's been a few weeks since we last spoke let alone saw each other. I'm sorry for yelling at you. You didn't deserve that. I've calmed down now, but I still cant manage to look at you and tell you what I have to say. I owe you an explanation, but before I do you have to know Harry, that what's happening isn't your fault, It's mine. I was never angry at you, I was angry at myself. I was angry at the fact that I couldn't tell you this.** **To tell you the truth I still am angry at my self.**

 **I've been cheating on you Harry. I'm sorry to have to tell you this way, but I couldn't bring myself to tell you in person. I've fallen in love with him. I have come to realize that I never really loved you the way I should have. I'm sorry, but I can't continue lying to myself and you. I do love you Harry, just not the way you love me. I'm filing for divorce. The papers should be delivered to you in a few days. I'm sorry Harry, I really, truly am. I hope that one day you will come to forgive me, and be happy for me.**

 **Ginny**

"NOOOOO!" Harry yelled.


	2. Ch2 Let's Go

**Lets Go**

"NOOOOO!" Harry yelled. "Why?!" The loud scrams coming from his office caused everyone outside his door to stop what they were doing and stare at the door.

Malfoy, was half way down a corridor when he realized that he was going the wrong way. He turned and headed in the opposite direction muttering to himself "Stupid Auror Department. It's like a maze down here." As the large room he was once in slowly started to come into view he noticed that every one seemed to be staring at something. "Strange" he thought as he kept walking. As he got closer he came to realize that they were staring at someone throwing a tantrum. He could hear the screams, and bangs of things being thrown onto the floor and walls getting louder.

Draco entered the large room and located the door that he had originally walked through. He passed the offices of the high ranking Aurors, paying no attention to whoever it was that was throwing the tantrum.

'Bang!' A vase hit the door of the office he was walking past. Draco stopped in his tracks and looked at the door. It read: HARRY J. POTTER Head Auror. "Potter?" he thought.

He hesitated before opening the door as he herd another scream and something hit the floor and break. "Potter! Potter! Potter!" he yelled trying to get Harry's attention. He walked closer to the bookshelf Harry was standing in front of. "Harry!" He yelled as he turned Harry to face him and took hold his shoulders to make sure he stayed there.

Harry didn't notice the use of his first name, but looked at Malfoy with anger and tears falling from his eyes. "What's wrong?" Malfoy asked, concern in his voice and facial features.

"Why do you care?!" Harry yelled, as he backed away from Malfoy. "This is none of business! Get out!"

"No." Draco said calmly. "Not until you tell me what got you so upset you had to break everything in your office."

""GET!..." Draco cut him off.

"I'm not leaving, so tell me what's wrong, Potter." slightly raising his voice.

Harry looked at him, anger filling his eyes as he thrust the letter he still happened to be holding into Draco's chest. Draco took the letter from his hands. "Sit." He sternly told Harry motioning to the couch. Harry reluctantly did as he was told. Draco walked slowly back towards the door. Once there he yelled "Back to work. This is non of your concern." to those that were still looking in the direction of Harry's office. They did so quickly, and Draco closed the door.

He looked at the letter. "This is the letter I gave you not ten minutes ago, correct?" he said noticing the red lettering on the outside of the envelope. He looked up at Harry waiting for a reply. All Harry managed to so was nod slightly, then looked at the floor.

Draco read the letter. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion as he read the first paragraph. As he read the second paragraph they raised in disbelief. He looked up from the letter and said nothing as he looked at Harry then around the room. He sighed as he took out his wand. With a wave of his wand everything that was thrown around the room began to put themselves in their rightful place. All the broken objects were repairing themselves and returning to where they once were.

After everything that was thrown around the room during Harry's temper tantrum was back in it's rightful place there was still the matter of the scattered clothes. Draco waved his wand again making a red suitcase with 'H.J.P.' written in gold on the lid fly across the room and land on the coffee table in front of Harry.

Harry heard the light tap the suitcase made as it landed causing him to look up at it then at Draco. His eyes were red from all the crying he had done. "Well, at least you've stopped crying." Draco said.

Harry looked around the room slowly before replying. "Thank you." he said then looked at the floor again.

"For what?" Malfoy asked as he waved his wand again. All the clothes that were scattered around the room began to fold themselves and place themselves into the open suitcase.

"For cleaning."

"Of course." Harry could almost hear the smirk that stretched across Malfoy's face. "Now," he walked to the coffee table "lets go."

Harry looked up at Malfoy with confusion. "I'm sorry?"

"Let's go." Malfoy said again mildly annoyed for having to repeat himself. He bent over and closed the now full suitcase, and picked it up. He turned on his heals and made for the door.

"Where are we going?"

"To my place, that is unless you would like to go back to that _Weaselette_ , and beg for more clothes."

"Why?" Harry asked in disbelief, as Malfoy opened the door.

He threw an icy glare at the few people that looked up from their desks, before turning to look at Harry. "I told you Potter. This..." he motioned around Harry's office, "is no way to live."

He walked out of the office. Harry looked at the empty doorway for a few seconds before getting up and running out the door. "Malfoy! Wait!" He yelled.

At some point during their silent walk to Draco's place, Malfoy had given Harry his suitcase. "In here Potter." Malfoy said, as he walked into a building. Harry followed suit.

He stopped in awe the moment he walked through the doors. The building's lobby was breathtaking. A beautiful chandelier hung in the middle of the ceiling. Harry couldn't help but smirk at the Slytherin colors that adorned the walls. The most breathtaking sight was the white and green marble floor, and staircase.

"Evening, Mister Malfoy." A middle aged man with dark hair behind the reception desk said.

"Evening, Charles." Malfoy nodded in the man's direction and walked towards the elevator.

"I see you have brought company. Shall I bring your usual?"

Malfoy pushed the elevator button and turned to look at Charles with a smirk. "He's not that kind of company Charles."

"Ah. I see sir. Forgive me for assuming."

"Not at all Charles." The elevator doors opened and Draco stepped inside. "Well, coming Potter?" He asked.

Harry ran to the elevator, and stepped in. As the doors closed Harry couldn't help but wonder what Malfoy meant when he said 'not that kind of company' but he didn't care to ask. He just stared at Draco as he bit his bottom lip.


	3. Ch3 Draco's Apartment

**Draco's Apartment**

"What is it Potter?" Malfoy said after they had gone up a few floors.

"I'm sorry?" Harry asked being ripped away from his thoughts.

"You're staring. What is it?"

"Er... Nothing... Well... It's just..." Harry struggled to find the words.

"Spit it out Potter."

"Uh..." Harry took a beep breath. "I never expected that you would live in a place like this."

Draco rolled his eyes at the obvious lie, and walked out of the elevator when the doors opened. He opened the door to his apartment and walked in holding the door open for Harry. Harry walked in and looked around.

"Wood?" he said unintentionally.

"Very observant, Potter." Malfoy said in a sarcastic tone. "It is wood."

"It's beautiful." Harry whispered.

Malfoy smirked "It's Bubinga wood. Scorpius picked it out." He closed the door and walked past Harry saying "This way." Harry followed after taking another look around the dimly lit foryer.

They walked through a small hallway and up a small flight of stairs that were to the left of the front door. They stopped at the top if the stairs and Malfoy opened the door that was directly in front of him. "You can sleep in here."

Harry looked into the room. The walls and ceiling were also made of Budinga wood, just like the foyer. A Queen sized bed was the first thing he saw. It had green bed sheets with a silver blanket draped over the edge. A black nightstand to one side of he bed had a lamp and a few picture frames that were facing the bed. Above the bed was a round sky light. Harry smiled slightly at the thought of being able to see the stars when going to sleep.

"Thank you." Harry said as he walked into the room and towards the bed. As he walked deeper into the room he noticed the desk on the other side of the room, and a small bookshelf. He set his luggage on the bed and turned to look at Malfoy but stopped mid way. His attention was drown to the pictures on the nightstand. One of them was of Scorpius and his mother in a tight embrace and smiling. The other was Scorpius and Albus on the grounds at Hogwarts, laughing. He picked up the second picture and slowly sat on the bed.

Malfoy watched Harry from the door trying to figure out what Harry was thinking. "This is Scorpius' room, but you can use it. At least until Christmas." He said ripping Harry out of his thought. Harry looked at him with sadness and a twinge of fear in his eyes. Malfoy could finally tell what was going through his head, and realized that the comment about Christmas didn't help.

He opened his mouth to apologize, but closed it instantly coming to the conclusion that doing so would not help either besides Malfoy's no mater how reformed didn't apologize. After a moment of silence Draco said "I'll go get you a key." and left the way they came.

Harry watched him leave for a moment then put the picture back on the the nightstand.

A few minutes later Draco returned with a key in his hand. He stopped in his tracks as he saw a half naked Harry Potter with his back turned toward him. The only thing he had on was his pajama top and underwear. Draco's eyes landed on Harry's ass and he smirked. He slowly leaned on the door frame and watched as Harry pulled up his Pajama bottoms. When Harry was done Draco straitened himself up and knocked on the door.

Harry turned around a bit startled. "Your key." Malfoy said as he walked into the room, holding out the key.

Harry took it saying "Thanks."

Before anything else could be said a house elf appeared next to them. "Master Draco." He said, bowing slightly in Malfoy's direction.

"Yes, Valdey. What is it?" Malfoy said turning his attention to the elf.

"The hospital requests your presence."

"Did they specify as to why?"

"No my master, but they said it was urgent."

"I see." Malfoy sighed, and ran a hand through his hair in slight frustration. He had asked for the night off, and couldn't fathom what he was needed for. He had no patients in critical condition. Not one of his patients could possibly need him tonight. "It seems that I must leave now, Potter." He said and turned to leave.

"Oh!" He said stopping at the door. "Please try not to make a mess of my home."

Harry didn't say anything in reply, he was too stunned at the knowledge that Malfoy worked at a hospital. Instead he watched Malfoy walk away, grab his coat and go out the front door.

"Would Mr. Potter like something to eat?" Valdey asked gaining Harry's attention.

"I'm sorry?" Harry said looking at the house elf.

"Dinner sir. I assume you have not had any."

"No I haven't."

"Would you like anything, Mr. Potter?"

"No, thank you. I think I will just sleep."

"I understand. Have a wonderful night's sleep sir." Valdey said and walked out of the room closing the door behind him.

Harry was amazed at how this particular house elf spoke. Most house elf's spoke respectfully, yes but not in the way Valdy did. He spoke with such eloquence, and held what seemed to be an extensive vocabulary, for an elf that is.

Harry laid in Scorpius' bed thinking of the elf for a moment, before returning to Malfoy. Harry still didn't understand how Malfoy could work at a hospital. Eventually, he shoved the thought to the back of his mind and slowly drifted off to sleep.

The next morning Harry arose to the smell of bacon. He couldn't remember the last time he was woken up by that smell. He slowly got out of bed. He was about to venture out of the room when he remembered that he wasn't in his house. He thought it best to get changed before finding the kitchen. He was about to get changed when he heard a pop behind him. He turned around and was greeted by an elf.

"Mornin' Mr. Potter. Jispy is here to tell Mr. Potter that breakfast is ready. Master Draco tells Jispy to tell Mr. Potter to come when ready. If shower is needed for Mr. Potter then it is here." She pointed in the direction of what Harry presumed to be the bathroom.

"Good morning Jispy,"Harry said with a polite nod towards the elf "and thank you for telling me."

"Jispy will leave now."

"Okay." Harry said and Jispy popped out of the room.

Harry showered, changed and left the room half an hour later. He made it to the foyer and noticed that there was significantly more light in the room this morning than there was last night. He looked up and saw a sky light the size of the room, and chuckled. He would expect nothing else from a Malfoy.

There was a pop and Valdey was standing before Harry.

"The dinning area is right through those doors, Mr. Potter. Master Draco is inside having breakfast."

"Thank you, Valdey was it?" Harry said and started waking towards the doors.

"Yes sir, that is correct." he said and popped out of the room.


	4. Ch4 Breakfast

**Breakfast**

Harry pushed open the doors to the dinning room and stopped in awe. The light blue chandelier is what caught his eye first, as it stood out from the rest of the room. The walls were an off white color with a few pictures here and there. The door frames, window frames, fire place and floor were the only things in the room that were made of Bubinga wood. The dinning table was made of white marble around the edges with a think piece of glass in the center.

Draco sat in front of the fire place reading the Daily Prophet. He hadn't noticed Harry walked in. Harry took the seat in front of Draco, and filled his plate with eggs, bacon, and pancakes. The shuffling caught Draco's attention and he looked over the paper at Harry filling his plate.

"Potter." He slightly spat as he folded his paper and put it off to one side.

"Oh. Malfoy. Morning." Harry said as he filled a cup with Orange juice. Malfoy only raised an eyebrow in response.

"May I?" Harry asked pointing to the Prophet.

Malfoy handed him the paper, his eyes never once leaving the face of the man sitting in front of him. He took the paper from Draco and began reading the front page. Draco intertwined his hands and placed his chin on them, as he watched Harry read. He was only half paying attention to the man though. The other half of him was thinking about what happened when he came back from the hospital last night.

 _It was around eleven o'clock when Draco finally came home. He had walked back to his apartment instead of apparating into the lobby like he usually did. He needed the time to fully accept what he had just finished agreeing to._

 _He walked into the lobby and removed his glamor, why he hadn't done that on his way home he didn't know. He was thankful that Charles wasn't there to see the transformation. Once in his apartment he sighed and leaned against the door, thinking about the contract he had just signed._

 _"What did I get myself into?" he said as he placed his hands on his face then slowly ran then through his hair._

 _There was a pop as Valdey appeared before Draco. "Evening Master Draco." He said with a bow. "Mr. Potter declined an invitation for dinner, to instead retire for the night. He should be asleep in the young masters quarters now."_

 _"Thank you Valdey." Draco said. "You may retire for the night."_

 _"Yes, master." Valdey said with a bow and popped out of the room._

 _Draco made his way to his son's room. He opened the door slowly to see a sleeping Harry. He made his way to the bed. Once there he chuckled slightly. Harry still had his glasses on._

 _"Idiot." Draco muttered. "You fell asleep while looking at the stars didn't you?" He smiled slightly at the thought. He moved a strand of hair out of Harry's face, and he stirred. Draco pulled his hand away quickly, and watched as the sleeping man before him snuggled deeper into the sheets. Draco then proceeded to slowly take off Harry's glasses and place them on the nightstand._

"Malfoy?" Harry said ripping Draco from his thoughts.

"What?" He said trying to lace his words with venom, but didn't succeed in doing so. The memory was clearly affecting him.

"You're staring. What is it?" He asked repeating Malfoy's tone from the day before.

Draco smirked recognizing the words. "It's none of your concern Potter." he said picking up a bacon strip from his plate, and eating it.

After about ten minutes Harry broke the silence. "Malfoy? Can I ask you something?"

Malfoy looked up from his plate and motioned for Harry to ask his question. "You're a doctor?"

"Yes, I am." He replied with a smirk and returned his attention to the plate in front of him. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"What? No!" Harry said quickly. "I just never expected that you would be one. I always thought you would do something with potions, since you were so good at it in school."

Malfoy merely glanced up at him for a second before returning to his breakfast. His smirk still firmly in place. He noticed that Harry bit his lip. Draco was starting to believe that this was a habit he had picked up for when he was either thinking or wanted to ask something. He wasn't quite sure which one yet.

"What is it Potter?" He asked not looking up from his plate as he ate.

Harry opened and closed his mouth several times, before biting his lip again. Draco had to admit that he enjoyed seeing a flustered Harry Potter. He was kind of cute when he didn't know what to say.

"Where do you work?" Harry finally asked.

"St. Mungo's Potter. Where else?"

"oh. If you don't mind me asking, why were you called in last night? Was there something wrong with a patient?"

The sudden inquiry about last night made Draco look up from his plate and look at Harry with a bewildered expression. "All my patients were stable." He said after he let the questions sink in. "You might not believe this Potter but I'm a very capable and competent physician."

"Yes... Well, if you weren't called in for a patient, why were you called in?"

"I'm not at liberty to discuss last night." He lied. He was able to talk about last night, he just didn't want Potter to know about the position that he accepted last night.

 _Draco walked into the elevator, applied his glamor and apparated to the St. Mungo's lobby. He never left his apartment looking like Dr. Draconian Black. Just like he never entered the hospital looking like Draco Malfoy._

 _The hair is what changed the most when under glamor. Dr. Draconian Black had short blond hair that was sticking out in various places. Draco on the other hand had long blond hair that he always tied up into a low ponytail. Their facial features differed just enough so that people would not mistake the good Doctor for the Malfoy he really was. Draco also glamored the Dark Mark to be replaced with a tattoo of a rose._

 _The Doctor made his way to the fifth floor conference room, after he had asked the lady working the front desk that evening why he was called in so late. When he walked in he saw his boss on one side of the large table and two Ministry officials on the other._

 _"What is this all about?" He asked a slight edge in his voice._

 _"Ah! Dr. Black!" His boss Dr. Madeline Strants said. "Please take a seat."_

 _He did as he was told and sat next to his boss."I do understand that you asked for this evening off but these two gentlemen have come with an exciting offer that I strongly urge you to consider." She continued._

 _"And what would that offer be?" He asked slightly irritated looking at the Ministry men._

 _"We have recently lost our in house physician for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. We would like you to fill it." One of the men said as the other pushed a paper towards Dr. Black._

 _"What is this?" he said motioning towards the paper._

 _"That is the figure we are offering. We feel it is quite generous."_

 _He picked up the paper and he snickered at the number they were offering him. "The amount is of no grave importance to me. What I do wish to know is, why me? I'm sure there are plenty of capable physicians that can fill the required position."_

 _"Yes Dr. Black," the other man finally spoke, "there are plenty of capable physicians, but none are as capable as you. You are, simply put, the best."_

 _Dr. Black smirked at the answer. "You have my attention."_

 _They discussed the position and hashed out details before Dr. Black signed anything. They were finally done two hours later._

Draco and Harry ate the rest of their breakfast in silence. At half past nine there was a rasping at one of the windows behind Draco. The both looked up from their plates to see an owl carrying that mornings mail.

Draco sighed as he got up to let the owl in.


	5. Ch5 Letters

**Letters**

The small owl came in and landed next to Draco's plate. Draco sat down and the owl gave him the two letters between its beak.

"Thank you, Lyra." He said as he gave the owl a strip of bacon. Lyra twittered and hopped towards Draco with the bacon in her mouth. He chuckled and whispered "Alright, I get it." He rubbed the birds head lightly and she happily and ate the bacon.

With his unoccupied hand he took off the twine holding the letters together. The one on top was from his son and he smiled brightly, but was replaced by his usual unemotional mask when he realized that Harry was watching him. He hoped that Harry hadn't noticed it, but he did. Harry thought that is was an amazing smile, and was shocked that Malfoy could smile in such a way. The second letter was addressed to the man that he was allowing to stay in his home.

Draco looked at Lyra thinking 'Now, why would you be bringing me a letter addressed to him? I haven't told anyone that he's here.' He then looked at the man that had returned to his breakfast. "This is for you." he said and handed the second letter to Harry. Harry took the letter from him confused. He just like Malfoy didn't understand why he was getting mail here.

As Harry looked at the letter that was handed to him, Draco opened the letter from Scorpius.

 **Father,**

 **Before I get into school I should tell you why I have sent you a letter address to Mr. Potter. Albus' owl Altair has fallen ill. We don't know how or why, but he is. And now I request that you somehow give Mr. Potter his letter. Please father, both I and Albus would appreciate it. You do not have to deliver the letter personally, as I know that you two don't have the best of relationships.**

Draco chuckled, he always did find it funny how Scorpius spoke formally when he was asking for something he wasn't sure he would get.

 **My classes are not too difficult. Truthfully father I find them easy. However, I'm glad that we are not taking our N.E.W.T.S. this year. Although Albus, Rose and I have started studying for them. I am determined to get an Outstanding in all my exams.**

 **Quidditch practices are going well. I believe that I have constructed a very capable team this year, father. I would like for you to come see it, and me of course. The first game against Griffindor is this Saturday. I do hope you can make it.**

 **Your son, Scorpius**

Draco put his letter down and turned to Lyra. "So your little friend is sick?" She twittered as if to say 'Yes.'

"Well I hope he gets better soon. It would be a shame for you to loose a friend. Now go back to Scorpius. I'll send him a letter soon." She twittered and flew out the window.

It took Harry a few minutes to finally open the letter that had been handed to him. It was from Albus, he recognized the handwriting. 'Strange,' he thought 'Albus rarely ever sends me anything.'

 **Dear Father,**

 **Let me start off by saying that Altair is sick. This is why you are getting this letter from someone else and not my Altair.**

 **Mum told me what happened. Well, she only told me that you two are getting a divorce. Here letter never gave me a reason as to why. I passed this information on to Lilly, because she deserved to know. We descussed it and came to the conclusion that we need a proper explanation father, from both you and mum. The first Quidditch game is this Saturday. Both Rose and Lilly will be playing. This should be a good enough excuse to get off work. Please come, we really do need to talk.**

 **Albus**

 **P.S. James needs to hear the explanation too, so he has agreed to cone on Saturday.**

Harry couldn't believe what he just read. He couldn't believe that Ginny had told them, without discussing it with him first. 'She could have told me first!' He thought. He was beginning to believe that he really did hate her now. No matter how he might feel about her now he knew that Albus was right. They needed to talk it wouldn't be fair to leave them in the dark. He would go to the game on Saturday.

Harry signed and placed his face in his hands lifting his glasses in the process. Draco noticed this and thought he should ask him what was wrong, but decided that he would leave it alone. He had much more pressing matters to attend to.

He got up from the table and headed towards the door. "Oh Potter," He said before opening the doors "this is a wizards apartment building. You need only ask Charles for some Floo powder." Before Harry could say anything he walked out of the dinning room leaving him to stare at the door as it closed.

Just as the doors closed Jispy appeared and cleared Draco's plate from the table.

Draco thought it best to write Scorpius back, before he got too busy and forgot. He was trying to be a better, and more attentive father and for the past year he had successfully done so. He walked into his room and instantly climbed the black spiral staircase that led to his office loft. He walked towards his desk, grabbed parchment and a quill from the first drawer and sat down.

 **Scorpius,**

 **Don't worry, the letter has been delivered to the boys father. You needn't have been so formal in your request.**

 **I'm glad to hear that your studies are going well. I do not wish for you to be stressing over your N.E.W.T.S. so soon, especially not this year. You have time Scorpius, enjoy your sixth year. Although, I am glad you are taking advantage of the time you have to study for them. I have no doubt that you will receive the Outstanding that you are aiming for.**

 **As for your first match, I am not sure if it is possible for me to attend. I have recently accepted a position in the Ministry. I am the new in house physician for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. I am telling you this in confidence Scorpius. You are not to tell anyone that I have received this position. Although, I will do my best to attend. I do wish to see the team you have constructed, and I have no doubt that it is as great as you say it is.**

 **Your father D. Malfoy**

Draco placed his finished letter on his nightstand as to not forget to send it when he got home later tonight. He changes out of his black silk pajamas and into his white doctors uniform. As he was changing he realized that Harry didn't mention his appearance earlier. He found this a bit odd but figured that he hadn't noticed.

Just as Draco did every morning he greeted Charles, and talked to Mr. Ebonies Taylor. Mr. Taylor was a creature of habit. He sat in the same black leather armchair everyday. Draco could usually get a good laugh from the man though. He was quite amusing, the way he talked about the happenings of that morning. Today's conversation slightly irritated Draco though.

"And today sir, I say the man who saved us all!" Mr. Taylor told Draco.

"And who might that be?" Draco was only half listening at this point, and didn't understand who he was talking about.

"Why the great Harry Potter of course sir! You must know of him! He is such an amazing man. He left to the Ministry using the Floo network."

Draco was snapped back to reality as he registered what he had just been told. He sneered at the man before him and walked out of the building in a huff. He hated when Harry was given such praise, he always did. "Just because Potter saved the wizarding community doesn't meant he should be given such praise." he muttered as he walked down the street. "He's just like everyone else."

He calmed himself sufficiently before beginning to apply his glamour.

First he glamours his Dark Mark to look like Dr. Black's Rose tattoo. Then he glamours his facial features to those of the doctors. Lastly he places glamour upon his hair so it may appear short and semi messy. Looking like Dr. Black he apparates into the Ministry Atrium.

He makes his way to the first level and stops in front of a door that reads: HERMIONE GRANGER-WEASLEY Minister for Magic. The last time Draco had an actual conversation with the Minister was when that Delphi woman almost succeeded in her attempts to resurrect the Dark Lord.

Draco squared his shoulders and whispered "You are Doctor Draconian Black, and know nothing about a woman named Delphi and the almost resurrection of he-who-shall-not-be-named." He took a deep breath and knocked on the door.


	6. Ch6 Dr Draconian Black

**Dr. Draconian Black**

Dr. Black knocked on the door and almost instantly the door opened. "Dr. Draconian Black I presume." Hermione said, a smile playing on her face. She sat in one of the chairs in front of her cluttered desk.

Dr. Black smirked at the sight of her desk, just barely keeping down a laugh. He would have never expected Hermione Granger to have such a messy work space. "Yes, that is correct." He said as he walked into the Ministers office.

"It is a pleasure to meet you." She said standing up and extended her hand.

He took it saying "The pleasure is all mine Minister." with a gentle smile.

"Please sit." she said motioning the light purple seat in front of her. "Tea?" She asked walking over to a table that had a fresh pot of tea.

"Yes please." he said and sat down.

Hermione came back and handed the tea to Dr. Black and sat down. They took a few sips in silence before Hermione broke the slightly awkward silence by saying "Right. Down to business." She placed her tea cup on a corner of her desk that just happened to not have papers on it and walked behind her desk. "Where did I put you?" she muttered as she rifled through the mountain of papers. "Ah! Here you are!"she said taking a folder from the middle of a stack causing it to teeter and hit her tea cup.

The cup fell and shattered. "Bugger, not again." she said and went to pick up the shattered pieces. "Ah!" She said as one of the larger pieces slid from her hand cutting her in the process.

The doctor wasn't paying much attention to her until she yelled out in pain. He jumped from his seat and kneeled down in front of her. He took Hermione's injured hand in his. "You need to let go of the rest of these shards Minister, so I may asses the damage and heal you." he said delicately. She did as he said, and he inspected the wound. "This isn't too deep, and the bleeding isn't too excessive. It's an easy fix. However, I didn't bring any medical supplies. " He looked up at Hermione. "You don't have any in here do you?"

"Sadly no." She said "We can go to your office."

"That would be good, the sooner we get this healed the better, not that it would do you harm to wait. First, we should rinse out the wound." He looked around and found the door to a restroom. "Come on." He said taking her by the shoulders and picking her up. They walked into the restroom and rinsed her hand. Dr. Black then took out a white handkerchief from his pocket and wrapped it around her hand. "This should stop the bleeding."

"I assume that my office is on the same floor as the Auror offices."Dr. Black saidas they walked towards the elevator.

"It's in the same room actually."

Once in the elevator Dr. Black looked at the Minister and asked "Why didn't you just use magic to pick up the shards or repair the cup?"

With a small smile she replied "Well, it's nice sometimes to do things like a muggle. Not every problem can be solved with magic."

"I see." He said furrowing his brows, as he thought. After a few moments he broke the silence saying "If you would like I could let that heal on it's own."

"You would do that?" she asked in shock.

"Yes. I would still need to clean it properly though. Did your previous healer not heal things like a muggle from time to time?"

"He did, I just would never have thought that you, out of all people, would be one to let things heal like a muggle."

He looked at her slightly puzzled. ' _Out of all people_? What does that mean?' he thought.

"You know, you remind me of someone." She said as the doors opened.

"Is that so?" He said half listening.

"Yes." She said as they walked into the large room that housed all the Auror's.

'I wonder if Potter is in his office.' The doctor thought and looked over to the only office he knew. The door was open and the light inside was on. As they walked closer to Harry's office he could see that it was empty. 'I guess he's not.' he thought and inwardly sighed.

Although, a large grin spread across his face seconds later when he herd "Hermione!" being yelled from behind them. He recognized the all too familiar voice of Harry Potter instantly.

They turned around to see Harry making his way towards.

He stopped in front of them and addressed Hermione, not noticing the doctor. "Thank Merlin I found you. I was wondering if I could speak to you for a moment. I was about to go to your office but since you're here..." He looked to Hermione's right finally realizing she wasn't alone. Next to her stood a man with the most ridiculously adorable grin on his face. "Er... Who's this?" He said as a soft pink appeared on his cheeks, and the corners of his lips raised into a small bashful smile.

"This is Dr. Draconian Black. He's the new in house physician." Hermione said suppressing a giggle. She had notoced how the doctors eyes lit up as he looked at Harry, and the light blush that Harry now had.

"I see. A pleasure to meet you Doctor Black." Harry said.

'What are you thinking Draco? He asked you a question, answer it! And wipe that stupid grin off your face!' He thought. He quickly extended his hand and said "Dr. Draconian Black."

Harry chuckled, realizing that the blond almost white haired doctor hadn't been listening. "Yes, a pleasure to meat you doctor." He said taking his hand. "Harry Potter."

"Are you?" The doctor said. "I would have taken you for an Arias."

This time Hermione chocked trying to stifle a laugh. She couldn't believe the Doctor was subtilely flirting with Harry. She found it even funnier that Harry didn't notice.

"Hermione, are you okay?" Harry asked.

"Yes Harry I'm fine." She replied finally getting control of herself.

"Well..." Dr. Black smirked "Arias I must heal the Minister's hand before infection has a chance to set in. If you would like you may join us." he said letting go of Harry's hand and started walking in the direction Hermione was leading him just a few minutes ago.

After a few steps he turned and said "I'm afraid I don't know where I'm going."

They both laughed as the doctors blushing face. "This way Doctor Black." Hermione said as she led the way. "As it so happens your office is right next to Harry's."

They walked into the office. Doctor Black was surprised that it was quite large. He was even more surprised to find someone seated behind a desk in the far right corner of the room. The man looked up from the book he was reading. The maroon haired man closed his book and walked over to them saying "How may I help you?"

He tucked his bangs behind his pointed right ear revealing his ice blue eyes, and looked at all three of them in turn. His eyes widened as he realized who they were. "What did I ever do to deserve a visit from the handsome Harry Potter, the Minister for Magic and one of the wizarding worlds greatest healers? It is a pleasure to meet all of you." He said excitedly.

"Nikmor, we've met before. I hired you, remember?" Hermione said.

"Yes Minister, I remember, but you have never come in here. What does bring you here Minister?"

"Well," She lifted her hand in explanation. "And it is Dr. Blacks first day. Right! Introductions! Dr. Draconian Black, this is Nikmor Faedi. He is a healer doing his internship here. I do hope that the two men the other day told you that you were going to have to teach someone."

"Yes they did. It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Faedi." Dr. Black said extending his hand.

"Please Dr. Black call me Nikmor." he said shaking the doctors hand.

"That's highly unlikely to happen, Mr. Faedi. Now Mr. Faedi, why don't you show me what you know by healing the Ministers hand."

"Of course Doctor!" Nikmor said excitedly. "Minister please sit here." He motioned to the examination table in the middle of the room. Hermione did as she was told and Nikmor took her injured hand in his saying, "Let's see what he have here, shall we?" He delicately removed the white handkerchief. "My, Minister how did you get this?"

"A broken teacup." she replied.

"What's the first thing you should do Mr. Faedi?" Dr. Black asked.

"Sterilize the wound." he said and took a vial with a light pink liquid in it, and a pan out of the cupboard behind him.

He placed the pan on a table next to the Minister and began to sterilized the wound.

"If I'm not mistaken Minister," Dr. Black said "we are allowing this wound to heal on its own?"

"Yes, that would be nice." She replied. "Now Harry, what was it that you wanted to tell me?" she said focusing her attention to Harry. However, he didn't hear her as his gaze was shifting between Doctor Black and Nikmor. "Harry?" Hermione repeated.

"Arias, the minister has asked why you wanted to speak to her." Dr. Black said turning his attention to Harry.

"Oh! She did?" Harry said as his cheeks turned red in embarrassment.

"Yes, I did." Hermione said.

"I'm sorry Hermione. I wasn't listening."

"That was obvious." she said chuckling.

"Well..." He felt uncomfortable talking about this in front of other people but figured that this was the only chance he would get so he took a beep breath and continued. "The children know what's happened..."

"You have children?" Nikmor interjected looking up from what he was doing.

"Er... yes"

"Mr. Faedi!" Dr. Black said startling them all with how annoyed he sounded. "What they are talking about is none of your concern. Your only concern is your patients injury. Now finish sterilizing that wound, apply ointment and wrap it." He said sternly.

He then turned to Harry and said, "I'm truly sorry Arias. He should not have asked that."

"It's fine." Harry said smiling slightly. "He meant no harm."

"That may be true, but he still should not have asked. It is not his place, especially as a healer." he shot a glare in Nikmor's direction. "Please continue your conversation. You won't be interrupted again."

Harry nodded and restored his attention to Hermione. "Well, they want to talk and um..."

Hermione sighed, she knew exactly where this conversation was going. "Harry how many times have I told you that you don't have to ask me to take a day off? You're the head of this department, you don't need my permission to see your family. You just have to tell one of the Aurors that will be here that day that you will be out."

"Right." Harry said.

"Alright Minister, you're all set." Nikmor said.

"Thank you." Hermione said, and got off the examination table.

Harry and Hermione made for the door, but stopped when Nikomor yelled "Wait!" He walked up to Harry and looked at him tenderly.

"This may not be my place handsome and I don't really know what's going on, but..." He cupped Harry's cheek making him blush slightly "You can get through this. You can get through anything you set your mind to, and I'm here if you ever need any help." He winked, making Harry's entire face turn a bright shade of scarlet.

"Thank you." Harry said and scurried out of the office.

Hermione followed but stopped at the door. With a smile on her face she said "Play nice you two." and walked out.

"Arias, huh? It means _the handsome one_ , correct? "Nikmor said once the door had closed. The doctor just looked at him from the corner of his eye before walking to the cupboard to inspect what they had in stock."Who knew a doctor as stiff as you could be so sneaky." He said venom lacing his words.

"You wont get him you know." Nikmor said as he walked towards his desk.

"We shall see." Dr. Black said accepting the challenge set before him.


	7. Ch7 Lunch with the Doctor

**Lunch with the Doctor**

Harry and the doctor had lunch every day that week starting on Dr. Black's first day when he knocked on Harry's door and very politely asked if Harry would like to have lunch with him. They would either go to a muggles cafe not too far from the Ministry or stay in Harry's office.

Their lunches were often filled with uncontrollable laughter over things that were not that funny to begin with. There was often lingering touches to the forearm from both men that were meant to capture the others full attention or to steady themselves from a fit of laughter. Every once and a while their hands would brush against each other for a few moments before they pulled away blushing.

On Friday Dr. Black and Harry went to The Gardens Cafe, and sat in their usual table outside. Although, Harry's attention wasn't on the blond man beside him, but on Nikmor. He couldn't forget the conversation he had with Nikmor earlier that day. If he were to be totally honest with himself he couldn't get Nikmor out of his head in general.

Nikmor would often catch Harry as he was walking through the halls of the Ministry or he would walk into Harry's office unannounced. On various occasions Harry believed that the man had a tracking spell on him for how easily it was that he could be found by the soon to be doctor. During these _coincidental_ meetings, they would talk intimately. Nikmor told Harry about his extensive medical training and in tern Harry told him stories about his Auror's training. At some point during that week Harry started calling him Niko.

Although today's encounter with Niko was different. Harry couldn't decide if what happened was a good kind of different or a bad one.

 _Nikmor dropped by Harry's office a few minutes he had arrived their himself. As usual, they ended up talking on the couch. Half way though their conversation Harry, seemingly possessed, tucked Nikmor's soft maroon bangs behind his pointed ear. His fingers then traced the mans elf like ear._

 _This promoted Nikmor to change the subject. "I'm older than I look you know?" Nikmor said. "I turned 100 in August."_

 _"What?" Harry's eyes widened in disbelief and his hand dropped to his side._

 _"I'm an Elf." he said with a smirk. Harry stared at him in both awe and disbelief. Nikmor laughed, "You have the cutest expression on your face right now." he said and caressed Harry's face causing him to blush furiously._

 _"Then why are you only an intern? Suelly you should be a full fledged healer already." Harry asked once he regained his voice._

 _"I lost my wife a few years ago. She was sick for a while and when she passed I needed to do something to help people like her, so I started studying healing."_

 _Harry was at a loss for words but eventually he said, "I'm sorry to hear that."_

 _"It's okay handsome. Life goes on and we must find a way to carry on with it." He said as he caressed Harry's cheek. "Besides I like to think Lira would love the path I've chosen. She would have been happy that I saved myself from death and found a new purpose."_

 _"Saved yourself from death?" Harry's green eyes now held traces of horror and bewilderment._

 _"Yes, she was my mate, and when an Elf's mate dies we either die of a broken heart or we must find something that will help us heal and move on from our loss."_

 _Harry was at a loss for words yet again. Eventually he put a reassuring hand on Nikmor's knee and said "Niko, I believe that she's happy that you became a healer." As an after thought he said "I know I am." and blushed._

 _Nikmor took what he said as an opening and without hesitation kissed him. Harry pulled back almost instantly saying "I'm sorry, I can't." and looked at the floor like he was about to cry._

 _"It's okay handsome. I can wait." Niko said as he got off the couch and walked out of Harry's office._

'He kissed me.' Harry thought. 'Well it wasn't a bad kiss. It was rather good. It kind of tasted like cherry.' He touched his lips. He could still vaguely feel Nikomor's soft lips against his. 'How could you let that happen?'

The person, in this case elf, behind the kiss wasn't the problem. Harry knew he was bisexual since his third year at Hogwarts. The year he realized that the hate he felt for one Draco Malfoy wasn't hate at all. Like anyone else his age he refused to admit that he fancied Malfoy, but he did accept the fact that he was bisexual. He never told anyone though. He thought they wouldn't understand and he was never ready to tell anyone. After all he never had a boyfriend, so the being bisexual was never an issue he had to talk about. The really problem Harry was having to face was the kiss itself.

'How could you let that happen? How could you let him kiss you?' He thought as he put his face in his hands.

"Arias what's wrong?" Dr. Black asked having noticed Harry's inner struggle. He lightly toughed Harry's forearm, bringing him back to reality. Harry looked up to meet concerned grey eyes.

"It's nothing, serious. Nothing to worry about it." Harry replied with a week smile. Harry knew Dr. Black wasn't convinced due to the worried look that was still in his eyes. "Really Dr. Black, it's nothing." he said and looked involuntarily at the doctors lips. The weak smile on his face turned bright as he thought of Dr. Black's lips against his. 'They look so soft.'

Dr. Black decided to drop the subject, even though he didn't quite believe that it was 'nothing'. "Ah! There's that amazing smile." Dr. Black said letting go of Harry's arm. "It must have not been too serious for you to smile like that. So then!" he said with a bight smile "what's for lunch today?" He grabbed his menu and got close to Harry so they could share the menu, as they always did.

"Arias," Dr. Black said not looking up from the menu "you know you can call me Draconian."

"I know. You've told me many times. It's just such a long name!" Harry said elongating the last sentence, and tilting his head back for dramatic affect. The doctor couldn't help but laugh at Harry's theatrics. Harry soon joined in as the doctors laugh was infectious.

"Yes, I know." he said once they both had recovered their senses.

"How about Dray?"

"Dray, sounds perfect."

They went back to looking at the menu. Harry didn't really see a point to looking at the menu. They always ordered the same thing. He always got a burger with lettuce, cheese and bacon, a side of chips and a vanilla milkshake. _His_ Dray would get a Green Tea, a ham and cheese sandwich and a fruit salad which they ended up sharing. Although he never complained. He liked how close sharing the menu got them.

They soon ordered and received their food. Not long after, Dr. Black reached over and stole a chip from Harry's plate.

"Really, Dray?" He said teasingly.

The doctor just grinned in response and popped the chip into his mouth. Harry blushed at how amazingly breath taking that grin was. He thought that he had seen that grin before, but couldn't figure out where. All Harry could think about was how he didn't want that grin to ever leave that mans face.

Harry grinned back and reluctantly went back to his lunch. Like every lunch they talked about their morning. Dr. Black recounted a patient that came in with a sprained wrist.

"But the way he came in one would have thought he was in such excruciating pain that he was going to die at any moment." He then proceeded to reenact the mans exaggerated display of pain. This made Harry erupt in laughter and remember how Draco reacted the same way in their third year.

Harry then proceeded to tell the doctor about Nikmor's visit. Although he intentionally neglected to mention the kiss they shared. The doctor felt his heart ached and writhe in jealousy as Harry recounted the meeting, although he didn't show it. He kept his emotions hidden behind the 'Malfoy' mask that he learned to perfect over the years. Although this mask had a small smile plastered on it instead a cold and indifferent expression.

"Did you know?" Harry asked.

"Did I know what, Arias? You're going to have to be more specific."

"That he was an Elf."

"Well, yes. I read his file. I wanted to know who I was working with. Although he lied to you." Dr. Black said casually.

"What?" Harry said wiping his face up from his plate and looking at Dray with a startled expression.

"Yes he's only half Elf."

"Oh." Harry said leaning back into his chair and releasing the breath he was holding. "I thought it was something worse."

"No it's wasn't that big of a lie, but it does change the meaning of his story a little."

"What do you mean Dray?" Harry asked looking at the doctor.

"Well he's not wrong in the fact that an Elf can die from loosing their mate, but that is a Full Blooded Elf. It is far less likely for a Half Elf to die from the loss of their mate."

"Oh." Harry said looking down at his nearly empty plate. "How do you know this?"

"I studied it in school. I was curious about magical creatures, and creature inheritances. In fact I still study it. It helps me better treat my patients that are magical creatures or have gained creature inheritances if I know how they work, so to speak."

Harry nodded in understanding and ate in silence. Usually when they ate in silence it was nice, but now there was a sort of tension in the air. It was uncomfortable for both men to say the least.

Every once and a while Harry would look at _his_ Dray while biting his lip. Having breakfast, lunch and occasionally dinner with Harry, Draco had finally understood the meaning of that mannerism. Harry had something on his mind that he either wanted to ask, or tell him.

The doctor noticed this but decided to not ask Harry to voice what was on his mind. 'He'll tell me, I know he will.' He thought.

"Dray?" Harry finally said laying his hand on the doctor's arm.

"Yes Arias?" Dr. Black said looking up from the fruit salad before them.

"I won't be here tomorrow."

'The Quidditch game. I almost forgot.' He thought, but veiled his understanding with a look of shock and confusion. "What? Why?"

"Well, my daughter has a Quidditch game tomorrow, and I would like to see her play." He said telling a half truth.

"Ah. I see." Dr. Black said in casual understanding. "As it so happens, I won't be here tomorrow either. I will be visiting distant relatives."

"Really?" Harry said raising his eyebrows in disbelief. "I wasn't aware of any more Black's. The only other Black I have known besides you is my Godfather."

"Oh, yes. Your Godfather. I forgot you told me he was a Black, but I'm not visiting anyone by the name of Black."

"Then who are you meeting?" Harry asked beaming with curiosity.

"I've actually never met this part of my family." The doctor blatantly lied. "I don't even know their name. I was just told where the meeting place would be."

"And you're just going to go? What if it's a trap? What if you get hurt?" Harry said tightening his hold on the doctors arm.

Dr. Black could see the worry in Harry's emerald green eyes. "Arias, I'll be fine." He said laying his free hand on Harry's and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "They sent me proof of a family tie. I can't go into detail about it, but it was enough to convince me that whoever this is, they're family."

Harry sighed and said "Okay. I just don't want you to get hurt." His eyes still laced with worry.

"Nothing will happen to me Arias. I promise." He said and smiled. Harry couldn't help smiling back.

"Now that we have that beautiful smile back..." Dr. Black said taking his fork and stabbing a strawberry. "Strawberry?" He said smirking and waved the strawberry in front of Harry.

Harry giggled. "Keep it still, would you?" He said faking agitation and grabbed the doctors hand to force it to stay in one place. The doctor blushed as he felt Harry's warm hand on his. Harry leaned in and ate the strawberry, his eyes never once leaving Dray's.

As Harry released Dr. Black's hand Draco's seeker reflexes kicked in. He grabbed Harry's wrist and pulled him closer. Harry's eyes grew wide in shock and he tensed but relaxed when he heard _his_ Dray whisper into his ear, "Is it sweet?"

"Very." Harry said and they both blushed.


	8. Ch8 Hogwarts

**Hogwarts**

"Potter! Are you almost ready?" Malfoy yelled from the foyer. "I'm not going to miss my only son's game because of you!"

"Yeah, yeah I'm going!" Harry yelled from Scorpius' room. "You wont be late you prick. I'm nearly ready." He said to himself as he picked up his wand and stuffed it into the wand pocket inside his vest.

Malfoy stood in the foyer waiting for Harry so they could go to Hogwarts together.

 _Draco sat in the dinning room Friday morningstaring at the Daily Prophet pretending to read. He was deep in thought. 'I'll ask him today... right now... during breakfast... I have to... This will be my only chance. I have to work late today, so I won't be able to talk to him during dinner. Besides he already told me that he was going to the Quidditch match today. So, I'll ask him right now... I'll ask if he wants to accompany me to Hogwarts... There's nothing weird about that right? I mean it's not like I'm asking him on a date.' He blushed at the thought of him and Harry on a date._

 _'No! It's not a date. I'm simply asking him to accompany me through the grounds, or into the stands. Then we can go our separate ways.' Draco was wrenched out of his thoughts as a very groggy green eyed man walked into the dinning room and sat down in front of him. His heart fluttered even without seeing the man that constantly plagued his mind._

 _Draco took a deep breath and slowly exhaled to calm his nerves. He did this a few times before he folded his paper and set it down next to him. "Potter." he said placing as much venom into the name as he possibly could._

 _Harry wiped his head up from his empty plate and looked at Malfoy. "Oh. Morning Malfoy." He said and proceeded to yawn._

 _'Why do I find that cute?' Draco thought, forcing himself not to blush. 'I think I'll wait to ask until he's a little more awake. Wait. is he in his pajamas?' Draco smirked. 'He really has gotten comfortable here.'_

 _Harry slowly filled his plate with eggs, bacon, and a Manchester Tart. Draco watched Harry eat and was glad that he was too tired to notice the lingering stare. He reluctantly looked at his plate that now only contained a half eaten Manchester Tart and slowly ate it._

 _When he was finished he looked up at Harry. The raven haired man was picking up his Tart. 'Good. He looks fully awake now.' he thought as he watched Harry take a bite of his Tart. Draco bit his lip as a light pink graced his cheeks. 'No! This is in no way attractive.'_

 _"Potter!" Draco said loudly, panic laced his voice._

 _Harry looked at him mid chew with wide eyes. He swallowed, and took a swig of his orange juice. "Yes Malfoy?" Harry asked._

 _Malfoy willed himself to say what was on the tip of his tongue. "Would you like to accompany me to Hogwarts tomorrow?" He said in the same rushed loud voice from before. If Harry didn't know better he would have thought Malfoy was embarrassed._

 _"I'm sorry?" Harry asked not believing what he heard._

 _"For the game Potter. Would you like to accompany me to Hogwarts. Once there we can go are separate ways." Draco said finally gaining control of his faculties and lowering his voice._

 _"Er... Sure Malfoy. Why not?" He said shrugging and taking another bite of his Tart._

Draco still couldn't believe that he had the audacity to ask if Harry would like to accompany him to Hogwarts. He couldn't believe that Harry had said yes.

Harry walked into the foyer and said "Alright, lets go."

Draco nearly dropped his jaw when he saw the well dressed man. He wore a gray vest with a Gryffindor pinned to it, a white button down shirt, a red tie, and light khaki trousers. He turned around facing the door to mask the blush that he couldn't force away. "Er, right." he said and walked out the door and into the elevator.

"Mr. Potter! Mr. Potter!" Mr. Ebonies Taylor called when they had reached the lobby.

"Good morning Mr. Taylor." Harry said politely, as he walked towards the man sitting in the black leather armchair he always sat in.

Draco rolled his eyes and walked towards the front desk. "Good morning Mr. Malfoy." Charles said looking up from the piece of parchment he was writing on.

"Good morning Charles." Draco said with a curt nod.

"Still not talking to Mr. Taylor I see." Draco hadn't uttered a word to Mr. Taylor since he praised Harry that Monday. The memory still made him angry. "I'm sorry Mr. Malfoy. I spoke out of turn." Charles said after he was given a icy glare from Draco.

Draco took a deep breath to subside his anger. "I need the Floo Powder Charles." he said his voice dripping in agitation.

"Of course sir!" He said and handed Draco a small velvet pouch.

Draco took the pouch and turned on his heals. He walked towards the fireplace passing Mr. Taylor and Harry.

"I still cant believe that the Great Harry Potter is living in he same apartment building as I." Mr. Taylor said.

Draco clenched his fist as he walked past. He despised those words of passe to a person that should be treated just like anyone else. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths in an effort to calm his rising anger. Once he believed he was sufficiently calm he turned to face Harry.

"Ari..." Draco caught himself just in time. To his relief Harry hadn't heard him. "Potter." He said as calmly as he could.

Harry looked up at him and he lifted the velvet pouch. Harry exchanged goodbyes with Mr. Taylor and Charles and joined Draco in the fireplace.

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Draco said clearly and dropped the Floo Powder. They were engulfed in green flames, and Harry grabbed hold of Draco's wrist. He didn't know why, he just did.

They tumbled onto the floor of the Headmistresses office. When Draco opened his eyes he was staring strait into a pair of sterling green eyes. 'His eyes are beautiful.' He thought.

"Get off me Potter." He said putting as much disgust into his voice as he could muster, but a tint of pink appeared on his cheeks contradicting his words. Harry seemed to not have heard him as he continued to stare into Malfoy's eyes thinking 'It's like looking at the moon on a clear night. They're so beautiful.' The light pink that was steadily turning darker caught his eye. 'Ah! He's blushing.'

"Now would be nice Potter." Draco said snapping Harry back to reality. He slowly got off of Draco and onto his feet. He extended his hand towards Malfoy, but he just rolled his eyes as if to say 'Why would I ever accept your help?' and slowly got up off the floor.

As both men were dusting themselves off the Headmistress walked in and jumped back when she noticed them. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy what are you doing here?" she asked.

"I'm sorry Professor we didn't mean to startle you, but we're here for the match today." Harry said.

"Oh, I see Mr. Potter, well a bit of warning would have been nice." she said looking from one man to the other.

"I'm truly sorry Headmistress, that would be my fault." Malfoy said. Both Harry and McGonagall stared at him in shock. They would have never expected him to take the blame for something much less apologize.

"And how is that Mr. Malfoy?" McGonagall asked.

"I should have been the sensible one and sent an owl over telling you when we were to arrive."

"Yes, that would have been most helpful. Although you must know that you both are far too early. We are just about to start serving breakfast."

"Yes we know. We were wondering if it would be okay if we eat in the Great Hall. You see, we haven't eaten." Harry said.

"I don't see why not. You both are already here." She said and opened the door to her office to let them out. "I assume you both know where it is, or do you need a guide?" She asked impatiently when neither made a move for the door.

"No professor. We remember just fine." Harry said as they walked out of her office.

"I will be there momentarily. I have a few things to attend to." she said and closed the door behind them.

They walked down the gargoyle staircase a little too close for comforts, in Harry's opinion, although Draco didn't seem to mind. Once in the halls Harry move a few paces to his left creating a sizable distance between them.

"I don't bite." Draco said with a smirk. "At least not without permission." he said without thinking.

"What?" Harry asked stopping in his tracks.

"Shit." Malfoy muttered. "Nothing Potter, let's just go to breakfast." he said picking up his pace.

Harry jogged to catch up to Malfoy and continued to walk at his fast pace. "Did you just say..." was all he could say before Malfoy interjected.

"Drop it Potter." Malfoy said menacingly. Harry understood that his tone was not to be taken lightly and dropped the subject.

'Did Malfoy just flirt with me?' Harry thought as they made their way to the Great Hall in silence. The space Harry had created between them was no longer there but neither man noticed.


	9. Ch9 Quidditch

**Quidditch**

Murmurs filled the Great hall as students noticed Harry Potter sitting next to Draco Malfoy at the guest table. Every once and a while Harry would hear thing like: "Is that Harry Potter?" or "Isn't that Scorpius' Father? Why is Harry Potter sitting next to a Death Eater?"

Although what irked Harry the most was the staring.

"They're staring." Harry whispered just loud enough for Draco to hear.

"That they are Potter. What do you want me to do about it?" He replied coolly.

"Well... Er... "

"That's right. Nothing. I can't do anything about it. Just eat your breakfast." He said as he picked up his goblet of orange juice and drank from it. His eyes then scanned the Slytherin table, but couldn't find his son. He couldn't even find his son's best friend Albus. 'where could he be?' he thought.

Right at that moment someone came through the doors of the Great Hall yelling in frustration.

"Come on Albus!" Draco whipped his head around at the sound of his son's voice. "You can't be serious!"

"Keep your voice down Scorp." Albus said grabbing his best friends arm in a pleading fashion. "You're making a scene."

"I don't care! Let them look! Besides, they shouldn't be listening!" He said glaring at the few students that had looked up from their breakfast to stare at the two Slytherin boys. "It's none of their bloody business anyway!"

"Scorpius! Language!" Draco said sternly catching his sons attention.

"Father." Scorpius whispered in disbelief and ran to the guest table. "I didn't think you would come!" he said excitedly.

"I told you I would."

"Actually father your exact words were 'I am not sure if it is possible for me to attend.'" He grinned widely.

Draco opened his mouth to argue but closed it upon remembering his own words. He gave his son a small smile and said "Yes. That is what I said isn't it?"

"Albus." Harry said, as his son approached the table.

"Father." He said disdain dripping from every pore. "I'm surprised you came. Mum, and James should be here shortly." Harry flinched at both his son's voice and the hatred he saw in the boys eyes.

"Ginny's coming?" Harry said halfheartedly.

"Of course mum's coming. How can we talk about it if she's not here?" He said emphasizing the word it.

Before Harry could say anything James jumped on Albus and grabbed him in a choke hold. "Hey little brother!" He said.

"Ah! James, get off." Albus said trying to push his brother off him.

"Dad!" James said letting go of Albus and turning to Harry. "You made it." he said with a sad smile.

"Hello James." Harry said, with an equally sad smile.

"I came with mum." He said. "She's talking to Lily." He pointed to the entrance of the Great Hall.

Harry looked over his eldest son's shoulder to see his youngest child talking to his soon to be ex-wife. He took a beep breath as they turned and walked to the guest table. He couldn't help himself from thinking that Ginny was the most beautiful woman in the world. As she got closer he had to look down at his plate to keep himself from tearing up.

"Dad, you came." Lily said before turning to Scorpius. "Malfoy." She squared her shoulders and looked at him defiantly.

"Potter." He replied coolly. "Ready to taste defeat?"

"Hah! You're the one that will end up laying face first in the dirt." She said crossing her arms.

"In your dreams Potter."

"Harry." Ginny said delicately. He slowly looked up at her, but couldn't keep eye contact. "Please look a me."

"I'm sorry." he said closing his eyes and standing up. "I can't. Not now. Lilly has a game, we cant get into this now." He looked at her with tears in his eyes for a few seconds before darting out of the Great Hall.

Draco wanted nothing more than to go after Harry and make sure he was okay but knew he couldn't. He was Draco Malfoy, not Dr. Draconian Black at the moment. He couldn't show Harry that he cared, no matter how much he wanted to do so. He settled for sending a death glare at Ginny.

"What are you staring at Malfoy?" Ginny said slightly taken aback by the amount of hate in his eyes.

"The adulterous runt of the Weasley litter." He replied successfully keeping the anger from his voice.

Ginny took a step back in shock. "Weasley?" she repeated. Her eyes narrowed. "What do you know?" she practically yelled.

"Mum. People are staring." Albus said, gently placing a hand on Ginny's arm.

"I know enough." Malfoy said venomously, slowly getting up from his chair to meet her at eye level.

"Oh yeah?" she said raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, Weasley. I do." He said as he walked around the table. "Scorpius you should go and eat. You'll be needing your breakfast."

"Of course father, but where are you going?" Scorpius asked.

"I'm suddenly in need of some air." He said as he walked towards the huge double doors. "And Scorpius," He said half way to the door "good luck."

"Come on Al, lets go eat." Scorpius said with a huge smile on his face. He grabbed hold of Albus and dragged him away from his family.

Albus looked back at his mother as he was being dragged away. There tears in his eyes as he mouthed "I'm sorry mum." He thought his mum was loosing the love of her life, and that there was nothing she could do about it.

Draco stepped out into the open air and took a deep breath. "Control yourself Draco." He said. "Just breath. She's nothing but an impudent child."

"Are you talking to yourself?" A voice on his right said.

"As it so happens Potter, I am. Do you have a problem with that?" He said keeping his gaze in front of him.

"No. I do it too, sometimes. It helps me think." He said walking to stand next to Malfoy. "Who's this she you were talking about?"

" _She_ is none of your concern." Malfoy said giving Harry a sidelong glance.

"It's Ginny isn't it?" His voice filled with pain.

"Come on Potter, the game will start any minute." Malfoy said as he started walking in the direction of the Quidditch field.

"Are you not going to answer my question?"

"I already did, and I'm not in the habit of repeating myself."

With a sigh Harry dropped the subject. "You know the game doesn't start until 10:00 and it's currently 9:30." he said smugly.

"Then we'll walk slowly." Malfoy said as he stopped and turned to look at Harry. "Well are you coming or not Potter?" Harry gave him a small smile and quickly made his way to walk beside Malfoy.

They walked to the Quidditch field chatting lightly. Harry took pride in almost making Malfoy laugh a few times. He felt sort of calm talking to Malfoy. He thought it felt like talking to an old friend, but he couldn't quite figure out why.

'It might be his voice.' he thought. 'It kind of sounds like Dray's... I wonder where Dray is. I hope he's having fun with is family. No, Harry stop! Now is not the time to think about him!' Draco's hand brushed up against Harry's wrenching him out of his thoughts.

Malfoy immediately put his hands behind his back. 'Merlin's beard, what was I thinking. I almost grabbed his hand.' he thought.

Harry dismissed the action and asked "Are we going to sit together?"

"Well I survived the excruciating twenty minute walk over to the stands, what's a few more hours?" Malfoy said.

Harry rolled his eyes and made his way to an open seat and sat down. Malfoy came and sat next to him. They sat with a considerable distance between then, courtesy of Draco Malfoy.

"I don't bite." Harry said in a mocking tone.

Malfoy rolled his eyes and closed the distance between them.

They watched the game cheering on their respective teams. They would occasionally bump heads and cry out in pain. "Would you stop hitting me Potter?" Malfoy said after the third time this happened.

"I'm not doing it on purpose Malfoy." Harry said laughing.

"That laugh doesn't reassure me."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Think what you want Malfoy, just watch the came. My daughter is kicking your son's arse."

"Slytherin can still win if my son catches the Sntich Potter." he said smirking. "They're only behind ten points."

"Not likely." Harry said smirking right back before turning back to the match.

Twenty minutes later they heard the announcer say "Scorpius has caught the snitch! The game's over! But sadly the points obtained by catching the snitch wasn't enough for Slytherin to win! Gryffindor Wins with a total of 260 points to Slytherin's 250!"

Harry was laughing all the way out of the stands. "It's not funny Potter." Malfoy finally said.

"Yes it is." Harry said between laughs. "Ten points! We won by ten points!"

"Whose we?" Malfoy said keeping back a grin. "I didn't know you were on the team, Potter."

"You know what I mean Malfoy." Harry said finally being able to control his laughter.

"Harry James Potter!" a shrill voice yelled.

"Something wicked this way comes." Malfoy said with his eyebrows raised. His voice both joking and serious. Harry burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Ginny asked pointedly.

"Nothing." Harry said composing himself. Ginny looked at him sternly not believing him, but let the subject go.

"Well you certainly look happier than you did this morning." She said with a smile.

"Yes... well..." Harry said rubbing the back of his neck as a light shade of pink came to his cheeks.

"Malfoy." Ginny said turning to look at Draco.

"Weasley." He said looking her square in the eyes.

Ginny rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to Harry. "What is he doing with you?" Ginny asked.

"I wasn't aware that it was against the law to even stand next to Harry Potter." Malfoy said sneering at Ginny and crossing his arms over his chest. Harry held back a laugh.

"Was I talking to you?" Ginny asked, anger rising within her.

James, who was standing next to his mother the entire time cut in before Draco could say something. "Mum it doesn't matter why he's here."

"You're right James." She said closing her eyes.

"Father!" Scorpius yelled as he ran towards Draco. Albus, and Lilly were at his heals. "I'm sorry, father. My team is a disgrace."

"No it's not." Malfoy said. "Your team is can hold it's own."

"But we didn't win."

"It' doesn't matter if you didn't win." he said taking his son in his arms. Harry and Ginny looked at Malfoy in disbelief.

"Malfoy are you feeling okay?" Harry asked.

"Of course."

"You sure? You're being... nice."

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Shove off Potter." he said letting go of Scorpius. Harry giggled.

"Since when are you two so close?" Ginny asked distastefully.

"We're not close." Harry said. "It's just... I don't know..."

"Spit it out Harry." Ginny said impatiently.

Something in the way she was speaking to Harry made Draco snap.

Bang!

Albus wasn't fazed by the sound, he just continued to glare at his father. James, Lilly, Ginny, and Harry on the other hand looked at Draco startled. He had hit the side of the stands in frustration and anger. "I couldn't very well let him live in that hovel he calls an office now could I?" He yelled. He took his hand out of the hole he created and clutched his bleeding hand.

"Malfoy are you okay?" Harry asked genuinely concerned. in all the years he had know Malfoy he had never once seen him so angry.

"I'm fine." he said taking out a handkerchief and wrapping it around his hand. "Come Scorpius. Let's leave the Potters and the Weasley to their affairs." Draco said clutching his hand and walked away with his son at his heals.

"You're living with Malfoy?" Ginny asked in disbelief.

"Yeah. I am." Harry replied looking at Malfoy walk away.

Just as Draco and Scorpius were out of earshot Albus couldn't hold in his anger any longer. He yelled "This is all your fault!"

Harry whipped his head around to look at his son, and took a step back when he saw the hatred in his eyes. "You're never there!" Albus continued. "You're never there when mum needs you! You're never there when anyone needs you for that matter! You're always at work! Being a bloody Auror is the only thing that seems to matters to you! How could you do this father? How could you make mum feel so alone? It's all your fault that his family is being torn apart!"

"Albus, please." Ginny said pleadingly. "This isn't your fathers fault. I just, no longer love him." She hesitated before looking at Harry and continuing. "I don't think I ever really did andI can't keep pretending that I do."

Harry could see the guilt, and trace of regret in her eyes. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. 'She never loved me.' He thought. He looked away from Ginny, and took a step back. His heart was breaking, but he couldn't cry. The tears just wouldn't come. It suddenly became very hard for him to breath.

"Dad." Albus said concern filling his eyes. "Dad are you okay?" Harry didn't say anything.

"Harry." Ginny said as she took hold of his shoulders.

"Don't touch me!" Harry yelled shoving her hands off him. He dropped to his knees. She took a few steps back.

"Dad." Lilly said gently. "It will be okay." She slowly made her way to her father, and placed a hand on his shoulder. When he didn't protest she kneeled next to him and drought him into a hug. "Everything will be okay."

Harry remembered Nikmors words _"Life goes on and we must find a way to carry on with it."_ He swallowed the limp in his throat. "Life goes on." he whispered.

"Exactly dad. Life goes on." James said as he too kneeled down and hugged his father.

Finaly being able to move Albus ran to his father and hugged him tightly. "I'm so sorry dad. I thought..." The limp in his throat stopped him from continuing.

"It's okay." Harry said and hugged his children tighter. After a few minutes he murmured "Hot."

"Are we suffocating you?" James asked as all three let him go.

"No it's not you." Harry said and reached into his vest and pulled out a coin with the Ministry logo on it. The coin had a Protean Charm on it so the Minister could get in contact with someone in case of an emergency.

"Ron." he said after reading the message that was on it.


	10. Ch10 Ron

**Ron**

 **Harry come quick! It's Ron! He...**

"Ron." Harry said and stood up. "I'm sorry but I have to go." He slipped the coin into his pocket.

"Dad what's wrong?" Lily asked.

Harry didn't hear his daughter, he was starting to panic. "Rose, Hugo." He muttered as he turned around looking for Ron's children.

"Dad." Lilly said again. "What's wrong?"

"Dad!" James said grabbing hold of Harry's shoulders. "What's wrong? Who are you looking for?"

"Rose, and Hugo, where are they?" He asked panic clear in his voice.

"They're over there. They're waiting for us to finish talking." Lilly said pointing at the two Weasley children sitting in the grass a fair distance away.

Harry ran over to them yelling "Rose! Hugo!" Their smiles faded as they saw the panic in his face.

"What's wrong Uncle Harry?" Rose asked as she and her brother stood up.

Before he could answer someone in blue-gray robes stepped in front of him and captured him in a tight embrace. "No, Arias. You can't tell them. We don't know how bad he is yet. There's no need for them to needlessly worry." He whispered in Harry's ear.

"Dray." Harry choked out as he gripped the man's robes tightly. The desperation and panic in his voice didn't go unnoticed.

"It's okay Arias." Dr. Black said as he stroked hHarry's hair with his injured left hand. "He'll be okay Arias, I'll make sure of it." he said and cupped Harry's face. Looking strait into Harry's tear filled eyes he said "We need to go Arias."

Harry nodded just as the rest of his family for there. "Dad what's happened? And who's this?" James asked pointing to Dr. Black.

"I'm sorry but we really must go, and there is no time for explanations." The doctor said. "Come with me Arias." He said and grabbed Harry's hand in his pulling him towards the boundary.

"Why are we going this way?" Harry asked looking at the doctors robes. 'Aren't these the same robes Malfoy had on?' He thought.

"We need to apparate there. It will take too long to get back to the Headmasters office. This will be faster."

As they walked away Albus noticed the handkerchief that was wrapped around the Doctors left hand. He squinted his eyes and was able to make out the letters D.L.M. in silver. 'That's not Mr. Malfoy is it?' He thought. 'No it couldn't be. That man looks totally different from Scorpius' father.'

They landed in the Ministry Atrium in each others arms. Harry was cuddled into Dr. Blacks chest. His eyes were closed as he was trying to process the events of the day. Ginny no longer loved him, no she never loved him, and now Ron was hurt. The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was a large huddle of people next to the fountain.

Dr. Black took Harry by the shoulders and looked him in the eyes. Harry noticed that there was worry and determination in his gray eyes. He could hear anything as he stared into those eyes. He noticed that he doctors mouth was moving but couldn't quite make out what he was saying. It all sounded fuzzy to him. "Arias, I need you to go to your office. Arias are you listening to me? Harry!"

The use of his first name snapped him out of whatever trance he was in. Harry looked at the doctor finally being able to fully understand what he was saying. "Harry, I need you to go up to your office. Do you understand me?" He asked.

'He never calls me by my first name.' Harry thought as he nodded. He was about to ask why he needed to go to his office when the doctor said "Don't ask why Harry. I just need you to do as I say." Harry nodded in understanding. "Good, now go to your office quickly, and don't look back Harry. Don't stop for anything or anyone. Just go to your office. I'll come get you when this is all over, okay Harry?"

Harry nodded. "Good" Dr. Black said as he kissed his forehead. "Now go!" He let go of Harry and made his way to the group of people as Harry made his way to the elevators. Before heading into the crowd Dr. Black looked back to see Harry stepping into an elevator. 'Good' he thought. 'I really don't want him to see what condition Weasley is in. From the urgency of the message it must be horrible.'

He made his way through the crowd having to scream "I need to get through! I'm a healer!" About half way through he got frustrated and took out his wand. "Periculum!" he yelled and red sparks flew from his wand catching everyone's attention. "Now, I am a healer and I need you all to move out of my way so I can help this man!" He yelled. No one moved, they just continued to stare at him in shock. "Now!" he screamed and made the most intimidating expression in he arsenal. This seemed to get people moving as they cleared a path for him.

He wasn't expecting the horror that stood before him. He stood there for a moment taking in the sight of Ron's mangled body. The man was laying in a puddle of his own blood. The least of his problems were the cuts on his face. Although as Dr. Black walked closer he noticed that some were deep. His left leg was in a position that it should never be in. What worried Dr. Black the most was the deep lacerations across Weasley's chest. The doctor noticed that Weasley was white as a sheet but still awake and shaking. He could hear small whimpers coming from the man.

"Why has this man not been taken up to my office?" He yelled at one of the guards trying to keep back the crowd.

"We didn't want to move him. We thought that would hurt him more." The man said.

"And leaving him here for everyone to see is better? Don't answer that, just make a path so I can take him up." He yelled venomously.

The guards did as they were told as Dr. Black conjured a stretcher and placed Ron on top of it. "You!" He said pointing to on of the guards. "I need you to levitate this stretcher all the way up to my office. I need to start working on him, and I cant do two spells at once." The guard nodded and levitated the stretcher Ron was on.

All the way up to his office Dr. Black was muttering spells to stop the bleeding. Nothing was working, the blood wouldn't clot. The best he could do was hold the blood in Ron's body. When they entered his office it was empty, Nikmor was nowhere to be found. 'Where the hell is he?' he thought. "Get him off the stretcher and onto the table." He told the guard as calmly as he could. "I cannot let go of this spell." He guard did as he was told and took a step towards the door.

The doctor suddenly realized that Nikmor was with Harry. This realization hit him like a rock, and made his blood boil. He couldn't hold his anger. "Get Mr. Faedi out of Mr. Potters office now!" He yelled at the guard and let the spell he was holding slip for a moment causing some blood to fall on the floor.

The guard jumped a few feet in the air at the amount of sheer animosity and anger in Dr. Black's voice. He ran out of the office nearly running over Hermione as she ran into the office. "Ron!" She yelled as she ran in. She stopped in her tracks and let out a horrified yelled as she set eyes on her husbands mangled body.

Harry and Nikmor came running into the office at the sound of Hermione's screech. "Hermione." Harry said as he enveloped her into a hug. He had caught a glimpse of Ron as he came in, but now kept his head turned in the opposite direction. He didn't want to see anymore of his best friends mangled body.

"I need you to get her out of here Harry." Dr. Black said. Harry nodded an made for the door as he whispered comforting words to his best friend.

The doctor turned to NIkmor and through clenched teeth said "I'll deal with you later. Right now I need you to hold his blood in."

"Why just hold it in? Why not clot it? Do you think my skills are so low that..." was all Nikmor was able to say before being interrupted by Dr. Black.

"Do you not think I would have clotted his blood if I could? It won't clot, so do not question me! This mans life is on the line! Now is not the time to question me! Do as I say, now!" He yelled losing his patience.

Nikmor took his wand out quickly and began muttering the spell to hold in Ron's blood. Dr. Black took a step back from the table and brought his hands to his head. He took a deep breath to clear him mind. 'Okay,' he thought. 'We can't keep holding in his blood in forever. The first thing I have to do is clot his blood, but how do I do that? What's making his blood so hard to clot? A potion? A spell? No! It cant be?'

He ran to the bookshelf at the corner of the room and scanned the titles before finding the book he was looking for. He took it off the shelf and frantically turned the pages until he found the page entitled _Invicta Sanguis._ "No!" He yelled hitting his injured hand onto the bookshelf and wincing at the pain.

NIkmor watched in horror as the doctor dropped the book and ran out of the office. Dr. Black ran into Harry's office and frantically said "Granger, I need his blood." Both Hermione and Harry looked up at him in horror and confusion. "His blood Granger, one of your children." He said realizing she didn't understand what he meant by 'his blood'.

"I need a vile of one of your children's blood to save Weasley. I didn't want to involve them but it's the only way his blood will clot. You don't have to tell them what it's for, I just need you to get it from them quickly." His eyes were pleading and terror filled his voice.

Hermione gave a frantic nod. "Go to Madam Pomfrey, and ask her to extract a vial from one of your children. It doesn't matter which one. I'll make the potion and do what I can on your husband in the mean time. I need the vial within the hour."

Hermione gave another frantic nod, and turned to Harry. "Come with me, I don't think I can go alone." she said as tears fell from her eyes.

"Of course Hermione." He said barely able to mask the fright in his voice. They slowly got up and made it to the fireplace in Harry's office so they could Floo to Hogwarts.

Dr. Black quickly made his way back to his office to start the potion.

By the time Harry entered Dr. Black's office with the vile of Rose's blood the room was boiling. There was steam coming from a cauldron that sat on the counter. The fire underneath it was raging. Both Dr. Black's and Nikmor's hair was damp and sticking to their faces with doctor had taken off the top layer of his attire and was now in a skin tight dark blue shirt with his sleeves rolled up. Nikmor was in his usual uniform with his sleeves rolled up as well. If they weren't in a dire situation Harry might have thought that both men looked hot.

The doctor was standing over Ron's body maintaining the spell to keep his blood in. Nikmor was leaning against the wall panting. He had never used his magic for that long, on such a complicated spell. He was thankful the doctor had said he would take over for him so he could replenish his magic.

When the door closed behind Harry, Dr. Black looked at him and as calmly as he could told Harry to turn off the fire under the cauldron and empty the contents of the vile into it. "Mix it three times counterclockwise. You should be able to feel the potion cool drastically with every turn."

Harry nodded and walked to the cauldron. With a flick of his wrist he turned of the violent flame. With shaky hands he slowly pored the blood into the cauldron and turned it three times counterclockwise. Just at the doctor had said the potion cooled with every turn.

"Done." Harry yelled.

"Mr. Faedi," Dr. Black said "I need you to slowly poor the potion over Mr. Wealsey's body."

"Yes sir." He croaked. He levitated the cauldron slowly over to Ron's body but half way his magic gave out. Before the cauldron hit the ground Harry wandlessly caught it.

Dr. Black sighed in relief. "On second thought Harry you please do it."

"Are you sure?" Harry asked.

"Yes, to no fault of his own, Mr. Faedi is too drained to preform any kind of magic successfully."

"Okay." Harry whispered and levitated the cauldron the rest of the way.

"Harry, he's going to scream, but no matter what you cannot stop poring the potion. Do you understand me?"

Harry nodded and levitated the cauldron higher over Ron's body. "I'm very sorry Weasley but this is going to sting." Dr. Black said as Harry tilted the cauldron over Ron's body. As the potion hit his body he started to convulse and let out a defining howl. The potion seeped into the open wounds and almost instantaneously his blood started to clot.

When the last drop of potion hit Ron, the doctor stopped casting his spell and let the potion take full effect and clot the blood. He turned to the cupboard and took out three vials. Two contained the same light pink liquid that Nikmore used to sterilize Hermione's wound. The third vile contained a liquid that was dark purple in color.

"Mr. Faedi, get up of the floor." He said as he turned to face his patient. "Mr. Wealey, we are going to sterilize and close your wounds, but first I need you to drink this." he said lifting the vile with the dark purple liquid. "It's a sleeping draught." He said and lifted it to Ron's mouth so he could drink it.

A few seconds after Ron took the potion he was asleep. "Mr. Faedi, sterilize his wounds, I will go ahead and close them." Dr. Black said handing Nikmor one of the vile's with light pink liquid.

"Doctor?" Nikmor asked cautiously.

"What is it Mr. Faedi?" Dr. Black replied calmly, not looking up from his patient.

"I was wondering why you have not run diagnostics on him?"

Dr. Black was surprised at the question. 'Seems this boy has some brains for the field of medicine after all.' he thought. "He's lost too much blood. We have to close him up first. I just hope there's nothing inside that that will give us cause to open him up again."

Nikmor nodded in understanding and continued his work in silence.

Harry watched the two men work from the wall Nikmor was previously leaning on. He watched as his best friend slowly became hole again. As Dr. Black was realigning Ron's left leg a vivid red color on the doctors left arm caught his attention. 'I thought his rose was a dark purple.' he thought to himself. He tilted his head to get a better look of the doctors arm. His eyes widened as he realized what the vivid red color was. 'The Dark Mark!'


	11. Ch11 Confrontations

**Confrontations**

After Ron's leg was back in place Dr. Black took a deep breath to release his nerves then ran diagnostics. 'Shit, there's something in there.' he thought. 'I can't open him up again. He needs to recover from the blood loss first.'

"He needs to be taken to St. Mungo's." Dr. Black said more to himself than anyone else in the room. "I will request a pick up. I'm not going to risk taking him myself." He looked up at Harry. "Arias could you tell the minister that her husband will be arriving at St. Mungo's shortly."

Harry didn't say anything, he was still looking at the Dark Mark. The doctor noticed that Harry was staring at his left arm and looked down to see what was so fascinating. His eyes widened in terror and he shoved his arm behind his back. 'Shit! I forgot to place glamor on it when we left Hogwarts. How could I be so thick!'

"Harry are you okay?" Nikmor asked, oblivious to what he was staring at.

Harry shook his head to clear the fog that had formed. "What?" he said.

"Maybe you should sit down Harry." Nikmor said taking hold of one of Harry's hands and leading him to his desk. Harry sat down on the black swivel chair. "I'll tell the Minister to go to St. Mungo's. Where is she?" he asked delicately.

Harry had a dazed look in his eyes. He could barely register what Nikmor was saying, but he answered the question nonetheless. "She's still at Hogwarts."

Nikmor nodded and walked out of the office. "Mr. Faedi." Dr. Black called out after him.

"Yes Dr. Black?" Nikmor said popping his head back into the room.

"You are not to give any specifics to the Minister. Only tell her that he is stable. Then I want you to go to St. Mongo's and request a pick up. Tell them what they need to know about his condition then return here. I will take care of Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter until you get back." Nikmor nodded in understanding and left without another word.

When the doctor turned around he came fact to face with Harry. He jumped back and said "Arias you..."

"Don't." Harry said darkly. His hard green eyes told Dr. Black that he was serious, so he fell silent and took a step back. Harry took a step forward and grabbed Dr. Blacks left wrist. "What is this?"

The doctor tried to get his wrist out of Harry's grasp but that just made Harry grip him tighter. "Don't be daft, you know what it is." He said panic seeping into his voice. "Let me go Ari..."

"Don't call me that. I'm mad at you." Harry said cutting him off. "Why didn't you just tell me?" He asked. The hurt in his voice was unmistakable.

The doctor had panic an hurt in his eyes. "I didn't want you to look at me the way everyone else does, once they know. I didn't want to see disgust and hatred on your face every time you looked at me. I hate being looked at that way. I didn't chose to be one. This," he pointed at the mark "was forced upon me. It took me so long to find a job and all it takes is one look at the mark and people no longer want to be treated by me. I hate it." He fell to the floor and let the few tears he was holding back flow down his cheeks.

"Did you think I would be like everyone else?" Harry asked as he kneeled beside the doctor. "I'm not like them. The war is over, and you," he lifted the doctors head so he could look into his stormy gray eyes "are an amazing doctor." He lifted the doctors arm to eye level. "This mark doesn't define you." he said gently. He let go and cupped the doctors face with both hands before saying "Your actions do, and from what I've seen, you are amazing at your job. Whatever you did during the war is in the past. You're helping people now and you are doing it magnificently."

He rested his head on the doctors and stared into his glistening gray eyes. Without thinking it through he gently pressed his lips against the doctors. The doctor melted into the kiss. The kiss was so gentle yet it spoke volumes. It sent shivers down the doctors spine. The kiss was can only be described as magical.

It was eight o'clock when Harry entered Ron's room at St. Mungo's. Hermione was sitting at Ron's bedside clutching his hand. Rose and Hugo were asleep on the couch under the window. Harry walked in and placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder. She jumped and turned to see Harry with a sad, but supportive smile on his face.

"Harry." She said. Her voice was strained from all the crying she had done. She gave him a watery smile.

"How is he?" He asked as he took a seat beside her.

"Nikmor told me that he will recover with flying colors." Her eyes twinkled as she spoke. Harry nodded his head.

They sat in silence for a few minutes looking at Ron as he slept. "Hermione," Harry said breaking the silence.

Hermione reluctantly tore her eyes away from her sleeping husband to look at Harry. She didn't say anything but the look in her eyes told him that he could continue.

"I know this isn't the best time, but did you know?"

"Did I know what Harry?" She asked confused.

"About his mark."

"Whose mark? Harry you're not making any sense."

"Did you know that Dr. Black was a Death Eater?"

"Yes Harry, I knew. Why do you ask?" She said. Harry didn't say anything but the look in his eyes told her everything she needed to know. "You saw his mark didn't you?" She asked delicately.

Harry nodded his head and looked at the floor sadly. "What's wrong Harry?" she asked placing the hand that wasn't holding Ron's on his forearm.

"I just wish he told me, Hermione." He said placing his head in his hands. "I feel like he didn't trust me enough to tell me." He said letting the conversation die. He closed his eyes and let the sounds around him blur into static noise.

Outside the room a calm voice could be heard. "Excuse me?" it said.

The matron turned around to face the man. She squealed and jumped into the mans arms. The man was only mildly surprised. "It's good to see you too Jackie." He said as he returned her affections.

"Oh, doctor I've missed you. You've come back to us. I knew you wouldn't be able to stay away." She said in a flamboyant manner once she released the man from her embrace. The man's lighthearted laugh caught Harry's attention. He strained his ears to listen in on the conversation taking place outside the room.

"I'm sorry to say this Jackie but I haven't come back." The man said.

"What? Why not?" Jacky said sounding a little put out. "You're the best! This place hardly functions without you."

"It works just fine without me Jackie and you know it." He said. Harry could hear the amusement in the man's voice. The extent of how calm the man sounded reminded him of Malfoy. 'It can't be him... Well he did say that he worked here. No it can't be, Dra... Malfoy is probably at _home_ eating dinner.' Harry thought. 'Oh, dear Merlin! I didn't tell him that I was leaving. He's going to kill me.'

"Yes I know." she said defeat in her voice. "Now doctor why have you come and graced us with your presence?"

"I'm looking for a Mr. Ronald Weasley. I was told he was on this floor but that is the extent of my knowledge."

"Oh, yes he's in that room over there."

"Thank you Jackie."

There was a knock at the door and Harry turned around to see none other that _his_ Dray. He had changed out of his blue-gray attire and into his white doctors uniform. The next thing he saw was bushy brown hair flying at at an alarming rate towards the doctor.

Hermione pulled him into a tight hug. "Thank you Draco Malfoy." she whispered.

Dr. Black's eyes widened and he stiffened. "I-I'm not sure wh-what you are t-talking about." He stuttered.

Hermione released him and took a small step back. She had a weak smile on her face as she whispered, "I would have thought that stuttering would be unbecoming of a Malfoy."

The doctor furrowed his eyebrows. 'It is unbecoming,' Draco thought 'and I don't know what shes talking about, I never stutter.' The doctor took a beep breath. "Again M-minister, I-I'm..."

Hermione didn't let him finish. "Don't worry Draco, your secret is safe with me." she whispered. "I understand why you hide yourself, and if it makes you more comfortable to be Draconian then that is fine. It is not my place to judge."

"Thank You." he whispered. In his normal volume he said "Minister I must talk to you about your husbands treatment." Hermione nodded a little confused. She thought everything was fine with her husband, but the way the doctor spoke made her worry. "This is a conversation best had in private. Would you come with me please. Mr. Potter can take care of your children."

The doctors words made her worry grow. "I would like Harry to come with me if you don't mind. I would like the support. This doesn't sound good."

The doctor looked from Hermione to Harry then sighed. He understood where the Minister was coming from. If it was him he would probably want someone with him too. "Very well." he said and walked out of the room. "Jackie." he said and a woman with shoulder length black almost blue hair turned around.

"Yes doctor?" She replied sweetly.

"Is anyone using conference room three?"

"Not to my knowledge."

The doctor nodded then asked "Could you do me a favor?"

"Well that depends on the favor."

The doctor rolled his eyes. "I should have seen that one coming." Jackie just grinned at her ex-coworkers reaction as if to say 'yes you should have'. "Jackie would you please watch over Mrs. Weasley's children?"

"Yes. Anything for you Dr. Black."

"Thank you Jackie." He said giving her a curt nod then turning to face Harry and Hermione. "This way." He said pointing left before walking in that direction.

As the walked away Harry heard the Matron say "If that man wasn't gay I would have jumped his bones already." He couldn't help but smile.

When they entered the conference room the doctor suggested they sit down, but Hermione stubbornly refused. "Please just tell me what's wrong." she said.

The doctor sighed in resignation. "Your husband was hit by a curse that goes by the name of _Invicta Sanuis_. It means unconquerable blood. The curse doesn't allow the blood to clot. I asked you for a vile of one of your children's blood, so I could create a potion to counteract the curse. The clotting of his blood is no longer the problem."

"Then if he's now able to clot his own blood, what's the problem?" Hermione asked slightly frightened.

"He has lost a lot of blood and is currently taking blood replenishing potions to remedy that." He said calmly.

"Dr. Black please just get to what is wrong with my husband." Hermione said raising he voice slightly. Harry placed an arm around her to calm her down.

"There seems to be a something inside his body. I can only assume that it was put there by whoever placed the curse on him." Hermione looked at him stunned and teary eyed. "He will have to be opened again to be able to take whatever it is out."

"Why didn't you take it out of him before you closed him?" Harry asked as Hermione started to weep into his chest.

"My main concern was to stop his bleeding. The potion that was used calls for immediate closure of the wound."

"When?" Hermione croaked.

It took a few seconds for Dr. Black t understand that she was asking when the operation would take place. "Whatever is in there is in a compromising position. If he moves it could move the object and cause more damage, so he will be kept under the influence of sleeping draught until his blood replenishes. Due to the amount of blood that he lost, it should take a day or two for his blood to fully replenish. Then and only then can we take the object out." Hermione nodded from the safety of Harry's embrace. "Mrs. Weasley I will do everything in my power to help your husband."

Hermione left Harry's comforting embrace to hug the doctor. "Thank you." she said through tears. "Thank you." she continually murmured for a few minutes until she had stopped crying.

Just as she let the doctor go the door of the conference room opened and a man with maroon hair flung himself at Harry. "Harry I finally found you!" Nikmor said from the crook of Harry's neck.

"What are you doing here Mr. Faedi? Did I not ask you to stay at the office in case someone came in?" Dr. Black said so sternly that Harry and Nikmor jumped out of each others arms and ended up a good foot or two away from each other.

"Well, yes but there was no one there." Nikmor replied.

"That justifies you leaving?" Dr. Black asked irritation in his voice. Nikmor didn't say anything in reply realizing that he shouldn't have left. "I asked you a question Mr. Faedi."

Everyone in the room winced at the tone of his voice. "No." Nikmor said just above a whisper.

"That's right, it doesn't! While were on the subject of abandoning your medical duties, why were you in Mr. Potters office when I arrived today?"

Nikmor stared at the ground scared to open his mouth. Harry took a step forward and opened his mouth, but before he could say anything Dr. Black lifted his hand to silence him. "No Arias, I want him to answer." he said sternly not taking his eyes off Nikmor. "I will ask you again Mr. Faedi, what were you doing in Mr. Potter's office earlier today?"

Nikmor took a deep breath to gather his courage. "It was dead this morning so I went to visit, but he wasn't there so I thought that I would wait for him to get back. I didn't think he would take so long. I.." he faltered.

"I what Mr. Faedi?"

"I accidentally fell asleep on the couch."

The doctor was so outraged that his words got stuck in his throat. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. "I don't care what you do on your free time. If you wish to try and catch Mr. Potter's fancy then by all meas do so, but do so on your own time. Do not do so when you are on the supposed to be working!" He noticed that he was now yelling, so he pinched the bridge of his nose and took a few breaths to calm himself down.

'It isn't appropriate to yell in a hospital Draco, you know this. It's far less appropriate to be a doctor and yell in a hospital. Get control of your emotions. This is where fathers teachings come in handy Draco, use them.' He thought.

"Let me see your medallion." he said as calmly as he could.

Nikmor reached into his trousers pocket and took out a coin with the Ministry logo on one side and medical symbol on the other. He handed it to Dr. Black as he stared at the floor. "This has a message for you to report to the Atrium to help Mr. Weasley. Did you not feel it go off?" Dr. Black said with a raised brow.

"I didn't have it on me." Nikmor said so quietly that it if the room wasn't as quiet as it was then it wouldn't have been heard.

"You didn't have it on you?" the doctor repeated darkly. Nikmor took a step back, as he nodded.

"I'm..." Nikmor started but the doctor held up his hand to silence him.

"You may have the skill and the talent to be a great Healer Mr. Faedi but if you cannot separate your personal life from your professional one then you will never be fit to be a healer! From what I've seen you cannot separate them! Today's actions show just that!" Dr Black said sternly, almost screaming. He took a beep breath to dispel his anger. In a calmer but just as stern tone he continued "I will not tell you what you should have done because that much should be obvious. I will however give you one more chance Mr. Faedi. One more chance to show me that you are in fact fit to be a physician. Do I make myself clear Mr. Faedi?"

"Yes sir." Nikmor hung his head in shame.

The doctor slumped onto one of the conference room chairs and placed a hand on his forehead in frustration. "Get out of my sight." he said in a disgusted tone as he waved to the door. Nikmor nodded and walked towards the door.

Hermione stepped in front of him and in a low threatening voice said "My Husband almost died today because of you Mr. Faedi, so if it was up to me you would be walking out of this room today without a job. Consider yourself lucky." She stepped out of his way and let him trudge out of the room with his head hung.


	12. Ch12 Papers

**Papers**

Harry left the hospital at twelve o'clock, and apparated to the apartment he shared with Draco _, home_. He trudged to Scorpius' room and collapsed face first onto the bed. He knocked out as soon as his head hit the plush black silk pillow. When he awoke the next morning he was in his usual light blue warmups and grey shirt. He ran his hand through his hair confused, he didn't remember changing into them last night. He sluggishly made his way to the dinning room trying to remember changing into his pajamas.

When Harry opened the double doors Draco briefly looked up from his morning paper with what Harry thought was indifference before returning to what he was reading. 'He's mad at me.' Harry thought as a pang of guilt went through his body, casting all other thought to the back of his mind. 'I should have told him that I was leaving. I shouldn't have left him there.' Harry took his usual seat and began to bite his lip. He stared at the Daily Prophet as if he could see through it and see Malfoy's beautiful pale face that seemed to shine in the light of the morning sun.

Eventually Malfoy folded the paper and put it off to one side. He refused to even look in Harry's direction. This made Harry feel even worse causing him to bite down on his lip even harder. 'I should have owled him. I bet he was worried that I just left without telling him.'

Draco could see Harry biting his lip rather hard through his lashes. 'What's wrong Arias?' he thought. 'Why are you biting those beautifully soft lips. AH! Why did he have to kiss me yesterday? Now I can't look at you without blushing. Damn it Potter!'

"I'm sorry." Harry said softly.

"I'm sorry?" Malfoy asked thoroughly confused, finally looking at Harry.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you that I left yesterday." He replied sullenly.

'He's sorry for leaving me?' Draco thought. 'If only he knew.'

When Harry didn't hear a reply he looked up into glassy grey eyes and asked Malfoy if he heard him.

"Of course I heard you, you idiot!" Malfoy yelled as he stood up. Harry was paralyzed by shock. Malfoy sounded hurt. "How could you leave me there? I was so worried! I had to find out from that whore that you left!" Harry slumped down in his chair with guilt etched across his face. Malfoy balled his fists in anger and stormed out of the dinning room.

Draco closed the door to his room and leaned against it. He lied to Harry and to make matters worse he screamed at him. He lied and screamed at the man that means the world to him. The look on that mans face killed Draco, and knowing that he was the cause of that face made him unbelievably angry. "What did I just do?" he asked himself as he slid down the door and sat on the ground clutching his knees to his chest. "Why couldn't I have just told him the truth?" He really did want to tell Harry that he, Draco Malfoy was in fact Dr. Daconian Black, he just didn't have the guts.

After a few minutes he heard "I really am sorry Draco. I didn't meant to make you worry." from the other side of his door before hearing the front door open and close. This made Malfoy feel even worse, and even more angry at himself.

Harry decided to go to the hospital to visit Ron and make sure Hermione had gotten some sleep before he went to the office. When he entered Ron's room Hermione was laying across Ron's bed, asleep. She was still clutching her husbands hand. Rose and Hugo were laying on the couch asleep in each others arms. There was a cot next to Hermione. "What am I going to do with you Hermione?" Harry asked himself as he stared at the empty cot.

He walked over to Hermione and unwound her hand from Ron's. "Come one Hermione. I'm getting you on that cot." He said out loud. He picked his best friend up and out of the chair and laid her gently on the cot. He bent over and gave his sleeping friend a kiss on her forehead.

"Arias." said a flustered Dr. Black. "I didn't know you were stopping by."

Harry looked up and smiled at the blond doctor. The doctor melted at the sight of the bright smile. He took a step closer to the raven haired man before stopping himself. 'No, you yelled at him this morning you have no right to touch him.'

"Hello Dray." Harry said with a twinkle in his eye. Harry saw the hint of sadness in the doctors eyes. "Are you okay Dray?"

"Yes I'm fine." The doctor replied in the most cheerful voice he could muster. Harry narrowed his eyes in disbelief. "Honestly Arias, I'm fine."

Harry's eyes widened. "Is Ron okay?" his voice raised as he twirled around to see his best friend's eyes flutter. "By the Gods! Ron!" Harry yelled waking Hermione and the kids.

"Arias, please calm down," Dr. Back said taking a few steps to stand next to Harry "he's fine. He's just coming off the sleeping draught. As I explained last night, we are going to keep him under. I'm here to administer another dose, so he can stay asleep. I assure you everything is okay."

Harry nodded and slumped into the chair Hermione was previously sitting in. The doctor took out a patch and placed it on Ron's left upper arm. "What's that?' Hermione asked sitting up in the cot.

"A sleeping draught patch. It does the same thing as the potion, but it is less potent. It wont keep him under for long. I'm still trying to get it to have a long lasting effect."

Hermione nodded then furrowed her brows. "You?"

"Yes. I created the patch, so there was no longer a need to force the potion down a patients throat during a surgery or just in general."

"Why?"

"It's safer this way. Forcing the potion down can sometimes cause more harm that good."

"How long does it work?"

"Anywhere around two to three hours." Draco replied. "Now minister I suggest you go home and get some well needed rest. Your husband is in good hands here."

"I can't leave him." she said as she got up and walked to Ron's bedside.

"You should go home Hermione." Harry said in a soothing tone. "Rose and Hugo need something to eat and to rest, properly. Take it from me, sleeping on a couch isn't all that comfortable."

Hermione looked at Harry sadly but nodded seeing his point. "Rose, Hugo come on we're going home." She said looking at her kids.

"What about dad?" Hugo asked.

"Well be back." Hermione responded. "Come on." She said and walked out the door with her kids in tow.

"I should go too." Harry said rising from his seat. The doctor gave him a curt nod. "Right." Harry said as he walked to the door. Before exiting he turned and said "Will I be seeing you for lunch today?"

The doctor looked down for a brief second before looking back up at Harry. His head tilted to one side with a light shade of pink slowly turning darker on his cheeks. "If that is what you want." He said forgetting about what happened earlier that morning.

Harry blushed at the doctors bashful face and replied "It is."

"Then I shall be there." The doctor said smiling like a mad man. Harry nodded and walked out of the room.

There was a knock at Harry's door. Harry looked up at the clock on the opposite side of his office, it read 11:40. 'It seems a bit too early for Dray to be coming for lunch.' he thought. 'He usually gets here exactly at twelve. No matter.' He shrugged then got up from behind his messy desk and walked towards the door.

"You're twenty minutes early." He said as he slowly opened the door. "What happened to your amazing powers of..." He trailed off as he saw his eldest son standing in front of him. "James." he said once he recovered from his shock.

"Hello dad. May I?" He asked motioning towards the inside of Harry's office.

"What? Oh yes, of course." Harry replied a little flustered. He stepped to one side to let his son walk into the room.

"Were you expecting someone?" James asked as he made his way to one of the white leather armchairs in front of Harry's desk.

"Er. Yes. I was going to lunch with a colleague. He usually comes to my office and we go together." He said with a puzzled expression on his face. "What are you doing here James?" He asked.

"To talk to you about..." he trailed off. Harry's brow rose in question and curiosity, urging his son to continue. "about mum." he said. "That and to give you these." He pulled out a beautiful but thick dark blue folder that had a silver ribbon tied around it.

"And what is that?" Harry said forcing the lump in his throat down. Even though he asked the question, he dreaded hearing the answer. He already had a good idea of what was inside that sleek navy blue folder.

"It's er... the divorce papers." James said with a sorrowful tone. Harry's heart hurt as if a thousand knives had been plunged into it simultaneously. He backed up into the door and winced when he felt the hard jab of the doorknob hit his back.

Getting up from his seat he said "I thought it would be better if I gave you the papers." He placed the folder on the chair and walked towards his father. "Mum was going to come but I convinced her to let me come instead. I thought seeing her would just hurt you and I didn't want that. I know that right now isn't the ideal time to give these to you either, with what's happening with Uncle Ron and all but..." He stopped right in front of Harry and looked into tear filled green eyes. "I think it is better to get this over with. For both you and mum."

They stood there staring into each others eyes for a few seconds before Harry slowly nodded. "You said you wanted to talk about your mother. What about her?" Harry said taking a deep breath and walking to the couch.

"Well, I want to start off with saying that I know more about what happened between you and mum than Albus and Lilly." James said causing Harry to look at his son in confusion.

"What is it that you know?"

"I know that mum was cheating on you with another man." James said looking down at the floor as if it were fascinating.

Harry looked at his son as anger took hold within him. "Did Ginny tell you this?" He said rather harshly. James whipped his head up at the sound of his fathers voice. He looked at his father sullenly as he shook his head. "Then how do you know?"

"I figured it out on my own." James said quietly as his eyes made their way to the bookshelf. When his eyes finally came back to Harry he saw confusion written across his fathers face. Any trace of the anger that was on his face was gone now. "Mum goes to the shop a lot." He started. "She always told me that she wanted to visit me and Uncle Gorge, and that was true the first few times she came in. I started to notice that she was spending time with..." James trailed off and looked at the bookcase again. "She was spending time with Simon." He said and turned his head to see the confusion on his fathers face turn to anger.

"Simon?" He yelled as he got up from his seat. "Simon Nightly? The 'stupid twit' as you call him, that you work with?" Harry glowered at his son.

James had never seen his father this angry in his life. Sure he had seen him angry but never like this. The malice in his fathers face terrified him. "I'm sorry father, it was just a suspicion at first, but I never thought that mum would do something like that. When she told me you two were divorcing we got into an argument and she let slip that she cheated on you. I brought up Simon and she got defensive, so I think that's who she's seeing. " James spit out frantically.

At that moment there was a knock at the door followed by Dr. Black stepping into the now deadly silent room. "Arias, are you ready..." He trailed of when he saw Harry's enraged face. "Arias are you okay?" He asked brushing past James and laid a soothing hand on Harry's forearm.

Harry tore his eyes from his son and looked at the doctor. The anger on his face slowly disappeared and turned into sorrow. "Dray." He said as he collapsed into the doctors chest and clutched the man close to him.

The doctor instantly wrapped his arms around the smaller man. The doctor could feel Harry shake as he began to cry. Dr. Black slowly sat on the couch with Harry. "Shush." He said soothingly as he ran a hand through Harry's tousled hair. "Everything will be okay."

James never moved an inch. He just stared at his crying father being soothed in the arms of the blond haired man. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. He had never seen his father cry. He didn't think that his father could cry. He had always seen his father as brave and strong, with the inability to be hurt but seeing him cry in the embrace of another proved James wrong. His father was just as human as he was.

After a few minutes Harry stopped crying. Dr. Black held him tightly and ran his hand through Harrys hair until the shaking stopped as well. The doctor then leaned back and lifted Harry's chin so he could look into his eyes. What he way was red glassy sully stuck green eyes staring into his concern ridden grey ones. "What's wrong Arias?" His voice barely above a whisper.

"Ginny, cheated on me with a man from..." Harry choked out before he was interrupted by Dr. Black.

"It doesn't matter where this man was from." He said anger seeping into his voice. "All that matters is that you are okay. I'll be here for you Arias. That whore can sod off. She doesn't matter anymore." He brought Harry into another tight embrace. "I will always be here for you Harry. Always." He whispered into his ear.

"Thank you Dray." Harry said his voice muffled by the doctors chest. When the doctor let him go Harry looked up at him with a small grateful smile. It was amazing to Harry how this man had the ability to make him feel one hundred times better.

"Lunch?" Dr. Black asked as he moved a lose strand of hair out of Harry's face. Harry nodded, and the doctor stood from the couch with Harry attached to his side. The doctor stopped and stared at James. "I'm sorry sir I didn't know you were here. May I ask who you are, and how much you have seen?"

"Er, this is my son James." Harry said from the doctors side. "He came to talk and give me the divorce papers. James this is Doctor Draconian Black."

"I see." The doctor said letting go of Harry and walking towards James with his hand extended. "It is very nice to meet you James."

James took the mans hand saying "The feeling is mutual doctor. Were you at Hogwarts yesterday?"

"Yes, I was." He replied with a small smirk.

"I knew you looked familiar."

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Would you like to join us for lunch James?" Harry asked making his way towards the two.

"I don't mean to intrude." James said.

"You wouldn't be intruding on anything. Truth be told I would like to get to know you." The doctor said as he felt Harry grab the hem of his sleeve. Somehow he could tell that Harry was still uneasy from a moment ago and wrapped his arm around Harry. "Everything is okay Harry." He said then kissed the top of Harry's head. He turned his attention to a stunned James. His father had just sought out comfort from another person. "Please James, join us."

"Er... Yes." He said turning his gaze upon the doctor.

"Wonderful!" Dr. Black exclaimed. "We shall be going to The Gardens Cafe. It isn't too far from here. We can walk." He told James as he made his was to the door with Harry at his side.

The interaction between the Doctor and Harry during lunch was certainly a sight to see in James' opinion. The two men would erupt into uncontrollable fits of laughter. In most cases James couldn't figure out what had them laughing in the first place. They seemed to have countless inside jokes that would confuse him to no end. He hated being out of the loop.

This and the two men's interaction a little earlier had James wondering if his father was also at fault for the impending divorce. When this idea first occurred to James he asked "How long have you two been seeing each other." Harry and the Doctor had identical faces of shock and confusion.

"I'm sorry if we are sending the wrong impression your way James, but we aren't a couple. If you believe that your father was cheating on that woman, as she did him, you are sorely a few minutes ago I thought your father was married. I would never come between two people like that. Besides I started working here a week ago. I wouldn't start any relationship that quickly." Dr. Black said calmly.

"I'm sorry for assuming such a thing. From what you're saying doctor, does that meant that you are..."

"Gay? Yes I am. I have known since I was eleven. I used to torment a boy all throughout school because I found him attractive, but I never had the courage to tell him." He said with a small smirk and a side glance to Harry. "I'm sorry if knowing this makes you uncomfortable Arias."

"It's fine Dray." Harry said placing a hand on the doctors forearm. "I'm Bisexual." He said then turned to look at James. "Your mother doesn't know. Actually your the only one that does. I think Hermione has her suspicions though." he said furrowing his brow in thought.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" James asked.

"I thought I would become a pariah. Who would want to be friends with someone that likes blokes?"

"I would." Dr. Black said smiling at Harry. Harry looked at him and smiled brightly. "You are still you Arias, no matter who you like. If you're friends don't accept you for being you then they weren't your friends in the first place."

"I know." Harry said with smile that reached his ears and a squeeze to the doctors forearm.

When lunch ended James realized that he had never seen his father so happy.


	13. Ch13 Elymas Magus Diaboli's Box

**Elymas Magus Diaboli's Box**

When Harry woke the next morning he found that Draco wasn't at the table reading the paper like he did every morning. At first Harry thought that Draco just slept in late for once, but he soon had to face facts. Draco was never going to come in and have breakfast. "God's he is mad a me." Harry groaned as he sat back in his chair and ran a hand through his hair. He suddenly felt something hot in his pocket and took out his gold medallion.

 **Harry,**

 **Come to the hospital. Ron's awake.**

Harry ran to his room, changed, and was headed out the door in less that fifteen minutes.

As he walked closer to Ron's room he could hear the loud voices of the entire Weasley family. As he got closer he could see Bill and Charlie standing next to the door. He could hear Charlie talking about the latest dragon he was training. He walked in and saw Mr. and Mrs. Weasley standing at the foot of Ron's bed. They were looking at their son fondly. George was sitting with Rose and Hugo on the couch at the far side of the room. He was showing them a new prank that wasn't due to hit the shelves of his store until the beginning of December. Fleur was talking to Ginny in the far corner of the room. When Harry saw Ginny he instantly looked away, and made himself promise not to look in that direction again. Hermione was standing at the edge of Ron's bed holding his hand.

The instant he laid his eyes on his red headed best friend he broke out in a huge grin. "Ron!" He practically screamed. He sped over to his best friend and gave him a bone crushing hug.

"Harry." Ron choked out. "I can't... breath." he gasped out.

Harry let him go and blushed slightly. "Sorry Ron." He said. "How do you feel?"

"Great actually." Ron said with a smile. "That Dr. Black really knows his stuff huh?"

Harry smirked. "He certainly does."

"I'm glad to know you're a fan of my work." a calm voice said from behind them. Everyone in the room turned to see leaning against the door frame with a small smirk playing across his face.

Hermione let go of her husbands hand and briskly walked towards the doctor. She gave him a hug and whispered in his ear "Thank you Draco. You saved his life. I cant be more grateful."

"I was only doing my job Minister." he said for all to hear as she let him go. "Now how are you feeling Mr. Weasley?" he asked walking to stand next to Harry at the edge of Ron's bed.

"I'm doing really good. I feel great!" Ron answered enthusiastically. "I can't even tell that those bastards hurt me."

"Well that is good to hear. Now Mr. Weasley we're going to keep you here for a few more days so you can properly heal. The max..."

"Properly?" Hermione interrupted.

Dr. Black turned his attention to her. "Yes Minister. Your husband has just undergone a major surgery. Even with the help of magic to speed the healing process along it will still take about a day or so for any internal injuries that cursed thing that was inside him caused."

"You got it out of him?" Harry asked amazed.

"Yes I did." Dr. Black answered calmly.

"Wait those bastards put something in me?" Ron yelled. He jerked his upper body forward slightly and groaned in pain.

"Weasley please keep your movement to a minimum. That box did considerable damage to the inside of your body. The less movement the quicker you will heal." Dr. Black said as he slowly guided Ron back to the slightly seated position he was in. Ron nodded in understanding.

"There was a box inside him?" Harry asked in disbelief. "Did you say it's cursed?"

"I think this is a discussion best had alone Arias." Dr. Black said. Harry nodded. Ginny, who had come closer to the bed made a face at the nickname.

The doctor cleared his throat and faced Ron. "I want to stress that you are in good condition Mr. Weasley. You just have to keep the movement to a minimum. You should be out of here in about two days." He gave Ron a warm reassuring smile. 'I never thought I would be smiling at Weaslebee.' He thought.

"Mr. Potter, if you could follow me." The doctor said. "Minister if you care to join. I believe you being Minister for Magic should hear this too." He said facing Hermione.

She nodded "I'll be back Ron." she said and kissed his hand. He nodded and blushed slightly from the loving gesture. She put on her _work face_ , as Ron called it, fixed her shirt and followed the doctor out the door.

As Harry made for the door Ginny stepped in front of him. "Harry, have you..."

"Not now Ginny." He said looking in the direction Dr. Black and Hermione went. "I can't do this now. It's not the right time. I'm sorry Gin." He said daring a glance at her before side stepping here and heading for the door.

He stepped out into the hall and looked right to catch a glimpse of brown bushy hair walk into a room down the hall, and headed in that direction. When he got to the door Harry noticed a plaque that read DR. DRACONIAN BLACK Lead Physician. He couldn't help but smile as he walked into the room. The first thing he saw was a dark green armchair identical to the one in the sitting room of the apartment. It made him think of _home_ , and how much he wanted to sit in _his_ chair.

"Arias I thought you were right behind us. What took you so long?" Dr. Black asked bringing Harry out of his thoughts.

"I was but I got sidetracked." He said frowning as he thought of Ginny. He shook his head ridding him of his thoughts about his soon to be ex-wife. "Is this a standing up conversation or a sitting down one?" he asked.

"Whichever you prefer." He replied. Harry nodded and made for the dark green armchair and sat down. The doctor smirked as he saw Harry melt into its cushions. 'I should have known he would go for that chair.' He thought. Hermione took a seat on the couch, next to Harry.

"To answer your question from before Arias, I'm not sure if it's cursed, but it is heavily warded." The doctor said stress entering his voice. He looked directly into Harry's emerald eyes as he continued to speak. "It was very difficult to get out. I had to break two wards to even touch it. It took me three hours to break one of the wards, ten to bring down both before I could extract it. From what I can tell there are about ten wards left, maybe more. They are very strong, very dark wards. I haven't touched it since I placed it in the conference room. It is being guarded by two Aurors as we speak. They didn't want to move it until they got your permission Arias."

Harry nodded slowly as he processed the information given to him. "Can you take me to it?" He asked.

"No. In all honesty Arias, that thing scares me. I have never seen anything so dark. I..." he hesitated, "I could feel the dark magic radiating from it. Whatever this is Harry I don't want to mess with it." He shook his head. Harry and Hermione exchanged a worried glance before looking back at the doctor. "I was very close to just leaving it in him Harry." He said as he sat down on the coffee table. "It scared me that much." He placed his head in his hands and his elbows on his lap.

He forced the tears that were threatening to come out away but when he felt Harry's warm embrace he lost all his control and began to cry. He clung to Harry tightly as Harry rocked him. "Everything is going to be alright Dray." Harry said softly as he tangled his fingers in the doctors short blond hair. "I've got you."

When Dr. Black got control of most of his faculties he looked up at Harry. "I've never been so scared in my entire life Harry, and I had to live with him." He croaked out then proceeded to bury his face in Harry's chest.

"It will be okay Dray. I've got you. Nothing bad will happen to you." Harry soothed as he rubbed a soothing pattern across the doctors back. The doctor slowly calmed and let go of Harry.

"Thank you Arias." He said wiping the tear streaks on his face away.

"I will always be here for you Dray." Harry said as he ran a hand through the doctors hair and kissed his forehead.

The doctor gave him a shy smile and stood up. He took a deep breath to release his excess nerves. "Is there anything else you would like to know?" his voice was a little horse.

"No I think I have everything I need to know." Harry said as he stood up. "What about you Hermione?" He asked his eyes never leaving the doctors face.

"No." she said sternly. "I think I will go back to my husband. I don't want him to worry needlessly." She got up and walked out of the room.

"So, you won't take me?" Harry asked looking at Dr. Black with pleading eyes.

"I'm sorry Arias. It scares me too much." the doctor looked away from Harry. He couldn't look into those big green eyes for fear of caving to the man's request.

Harry grabbed the doctors hand and squeezed it. "I understand." He said. "Can you tell me where it is?" Dr. Black nodded.

"When I got it out of him I told the other Healer that was in there to finish up... I didn't want that dark thing to hurt him or anyone else in the room... The top floor is being remodeled so I took it to one of the conference rooms up there. You're going to have to take the stairs. Once you're up their take a left. You cant miss it." The doctor said shakily.

Harry nodded and stood on the tips of his toes to give the doctor a kiss on the cheek. "You'll be okay Dray." he whispered in his ear. Harry squeezed the doctor's hand once more before saying "I'm sorry Dray, but I don't think I will be able to see you at lunch."

The doctor nodded in understanding. "Just promise me something." He said looking into Harry's warm green eyes.

"Anything."

"Be careful. I don't want it to be you lying in that bed next."

Harry gave the doctor a soft smile and said "I will." He then brought the doctor in for a tight embrace. "I'll see you soon Dray." He said and kissed the blond on his cheek and left the room.

Dr. Black stood in his old office missing the warm embrace of the raven haired man that made him feel so safe. He stood there for a few minutes before composing himself and walking out of the room.

He went back to his only patients room, but a few feet from the door he felt a light tap on his shoulder followed by a deep "Excuse me." that nearly made his knees buckle.

He turned around to face the man that had asked for his attention. The velvet eyes that he looked into took his breath away. He had never seen eyes that color before. It took him a few moments to catch his breath and ask "Yes?" a little too dewy than he would have liked.

The man in front of him chuckled and broke out into a huge grin. "It's the eyes huh?" He asked with a smirk. The doctor nodded as he stared into the amethyst colored eyes. "I'll let you in on a secret, they aren't my actual eye color." He whispered.

Dr. Black looked surprised. "Is that so?" He asked. "A color changing charm then?"

"No. It was a potion. It was supposed to change the color for a few hours, but something went wrong. Now the color wont go away."

"I could fix them if you would like."

"There's no need. I quite like them this way." the man said with a smile and a slight tilt of his head. "Anyway, I'm looking for a Ronald Weasley."

"Yes, I was actually headed to his room. It's this way." Dr. Black reluctantly turned away from the shining violet eyes and walked to the appropriate door. "Well this explains why the hall is so quiet." He said and knocked on the door.

"Someone get the door please. It might be Dr. Black." they herd a voice say. A few seconds later the door was opened and a red head stood in front of the two men.

"Dr. Black, please come in." Charlie said as he stepped to one side.

The doctor gave him a curt nod and stepped in. He instantly walked towards the bed. "So Mr. Weasley, any changes?" he asked.

Ron shook his head "I feel..." he began, but a high pitched "Simon!" cut him off.

Everyone turned to see a trail of red collide into the light brown haired man that came in with Dr. Black. "Ginny." Simon said as he wrapped his arms around her waist and picked her up.

Any attraction the doctor may felt for that man instantly vanished, and was replaced by hatred. 'So this is the man that whore cheated on Harry with!' He thought as he balled his fists.

Hermione placed a hand on his shoulder and whispered "Are you okay?"

Dr. Black closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm fine." He said. "I must just be tired. That procedure was rather difficult, and long. It took a lot more out of me than I expected." He said turning to face Ron.

"I think you should go home and get some rest Dr. Black." Hermione suggested.

"Is that an order Minister?" Dr. Black asked with an arched brow.

"If that is how you would like to take it, then yes."

"Then I shall be leaving." He said. "Mr. Weasley, Minister." He said nodding his head to each of them in turn. "You know how to contact me minister if you need anything regarding your husband." he said and started walking towards the door. On his way out he caught Simon's eye and sent him an icy glare. Simon was taken aback by how much hatred was in the doctors previously warm eyes.

As soon as Harry opened the door to the top floor he could feel the dark magic in the air. The shear intensity of it made Harry take a few steps back. He had never felt dark magic this strong before. "Dray had a right to be scared." He said to himself.

Harry walked down the left corridor, passing rooms that were under construction. In the distance he could see two figures standing in front of a room. 'Those must be the Aurors Dray was talking about.' he thought.

As he walked closer to the guarded room he could feel the dark magic grow more menacing. Half way there he had to stop to create a magical barrier that would dull the feel of the dark magic. It didn't quite help though, he could still feel a tremendous amount of dark magic. The thickness of the magic surrounding him was making it hard to walk, and even harder to breath.

Harry stood in front of the two men. They wore stony expressions and looked at Harry sternly. Harry recognized them instantly. "Johnson, O'Neal it's good to see you." he said. The men stood there with the same uninterested expressions on their face. Harry was thoroughly confused that these two usually chatty men weren't saying a word. "Are you two feeling okay? Has someone cursed you to not speak again?" He asked trying to coax the two men to speak.

When the men again did not answer he stepped closer. "If you two are trying to pull something over on me it isn't funny." he said in a stern voice as he looked them dead in the eyes. What he found made him panic. Their eyes were completely black. As he stared into those black eyes he knew that the two men before him were dead, the dark magic surging through their bodies being the only think keeping them up right.

He had only ever read of this happening to a person and could remember the passage clearly: _There are some cases of magic being so dark that it infiltrates a person and slowly take over their body. This essentially makes the body a host for the dark magic. Once the dark magic takes over the body, the host is instantly killed by means of suffocation, and the eyes turn completely black._

Harry took a moment to collect himself before opening the conference room door. He was hit with a wave of extremely powerful dark magic that knocked the wind out of him. He went down on all fours dropping his wand beside him. 'If I don't reinforce my barrier quickly, then I'm going to die too. I cant die, I can't leave _him_.' He thought as he reached for his wand. Gripping it tightly he reinforced his magical barrier by placing various different ones on him until he could finally breath normally and slowly got up. The dark magic was now felt like a tingle as it washed over his body.

He slowly walked to the long table and stopped in front of the rectangular wooden box. It had a very detailed carving of one of the most beautiful dragons in the world,an Antipodean Opaleye. The carving was enchanted to breath it's very vivid scarlet flame. Above the dragon, in beautiful gold letters the box read: **Elymas Magus** **Diaboli** 'It sounds familiar.' He thought.

"Okay first things first," He exhaled and turned to look at the two dead men. "I have to let Hermione know that there are Aurors down, and that I'm taking the box to the Ministry." He took out his medallion and sent Hermione a message that read:

 **Hermione,**

 **I have the box. Dr. Black was right to be scared, the wards surrounding it are letting off some very dark magic. It's so dark that it killed Johnson and O'Neal. I don't know how the doctor got it up here without dying himself.**

 **I'm taking the box to the ministry to take the wards off. The magic should dissipate with each ward I take off. Let me know if you wish to see it, or talk to me about anything.**

 **Give this place about half an hour before sending anyone to come get the bodies. The dark magic should have dissipated enough so no one gets hurt. You're not going to like what they look like Hermione. It's not a nice sight. I'm just warning you.**

 **HP**

Harry then looked back at the box. "Alright how am I going to get you over there? I can't just let you hurt other people." He stood there staring at the box intensely as he tried to think of the best solution. The only thing he could think of without going to the ministry first to grab the right equipment was placing barriers around it to dampen the amount of magical spillage.

With a sigh he set to work placing magical dampening barriers over the box. After he placed ten barriers he grabbed the box. He could feel the barriers he placed start to break. "Shit." he said. "Don't do this to me. I need to get you there without hurting anyone."

He then apperated to the Ministry and quickly made his way to the Auror offices on the second level. Once in the big room he raced to one of the interrogation rooms. He knew that he should work on the box in one of the rooms specifically designed to house dark objects, but seeing as the interrogation rooms were isolated, he thought it best to take it there.

Safely in an interrogation room he tossed the box onto the table and began to cast barriers and wards around the entire room to keep the dark magic with in it. Just as he had the last barrier up the last barrier he had placed on the box broke and a powerful wave of dark magic hit him. Harry was lifted off his feet and into the wall behind him. He gasped in pain as he was pinned against the wall, bombarded by a constant pulse of dark magic. The magic had a mind of its own as it tried braking the barriers Harry had cast over himself.

'It's fighting back.' He thought. 'It didn't like being confined... I'm going to die, at the hands of a bloody box!'

After a few minutes the magic seemed to have give up and let Harry fall to the ground gasping for air. It had successfully taken down three of his barriers. Harry could feel the magic desperately trying to seep into his body as he gasped for air. He quickly put up another barrier around himself, and instantly felt better. He could no longer feel the dark magic trying to get into him. Although he was still having trouble catching his breath. He leaned against the wall and put up the other two barriers he had lost.

Once he caught his breath he got up off the floor and sat himself in one of the chairs surrounding the table. He looked at the box for a minute before taking his wand and getting to work.


	14. Ch14 Matters of Divorce and Terror

**Matters of Divorce and Terror**

When Harry got _home_ it was seven O'clock. He was exhausted and hungry, having worked almost ten hours nonstop. He sluggishly made his way to the sitting room to wait for dinner to be ready. When he opened the double doors he saw the bright light of the fire illuminating the room. The chandelier cast the light of the fire in all directions giving the room a beautiful glow.

Harry made his way to the plush dark green armchair that was identical to the one in Dr. Blacks old office. It was undoubtedly his favorite piece of furniture in the entire apartment. He had, admittedly fallen sleep in its warm embrace several times. If Valdey or Jispy hadn't woken him up those few times, he would have surely woken up there. He did find it odd, however that each time he was woken up by one of the elf's it had been eleven O'clock exactly and he was covered with a blanket that was just a little lighter shade of green than the chair.

Halfway to his chair Harry heard a groan and the shuffle of cloth on cloth. Harry turned around to see Malfoy laying on the black sofa in front of the fireplace, asleep. Forgetting about his chair, Harry moved closer to the sleeping man. He kneeled next to the sofa and began to comb his hand through Malfoy's unbelievably soft hair. He continued this for a few minutes, before running his hand down the mans jaw line. Malfoy hummed in contentment and leaned into Harry's touch.

Within seconds Malfoy's eyes sprung open. It took him a second to realize that the figure blocking his view of the fire was Harry Potter. He backed as far away from Harry and his touch as the couch would allow. "Potter." He said looking at the man with wide eyes. "What the bloody hell Potter? What were you just doing?" He said as his hand unconsciously went up and touched the side of his face that was still tingling from Harry's touch.

"I'm sorry Malfoy. I don't know what came over me." Harry said as he stared at the fabric of the sofa, a light pink making its way to his cheeks. Harry really wanted to believe what he said, but he couldn't. The moment his hand had touched Draco's hair he knew why he had felt compelled to do so. He wanted to feel the hair of the man that had captured his eye so long ago.

Malfoy while eying Harry slowly sat up. "Go sit in your chair Potter." He said calmly, as if nothing had happened. "You're making me uncomfortable." He wasn't entirely lying. He loved how it made him feel when Harry touched him, but he felt guilty about not telling him who his other self was. This nagging guilt is what made Harry's proximity uncomfortable to Draco.

Harry nodded and made his way to his usual seat. "Merlin Potter what time is it?" Malfoy asked rubbing his hands over his eyes.

"A little after seven." Harry replied.

"Blimey I've been asleep for three hours." He said as he ran a hand through his hair. "What are you doing home early Potter?"

"That sounded cordial Malfoy." Harry teased.

"Well I'm truly sorry if my tone of voice has offended you Potter." Draco spat out. He rolled his eyes at Harry's dumbfounded expression and laid on his back on the sofa. He turned his head to face the fire. As he watched the flames dance he could feel Harry's gaze on him and could tell that he was biting his lip.

Eventually Harry broke the silence. The only words he was able to utter were "I'm sorry..." before Draco interrupted him.

"Save it Potter. I don't want to hear it." There was an edge to his voice. "I had to preform a particularly grueling procedure last night until early this morning. Just leave it alone." Draco said his voice slowly turning petulant. After a few moments he spoke again, this time his voice was calm and composed. "You have nothing to be sorry about. You left without a word due to work, I understand. It is I who should be apologizing for acting like a petulant child."

"How did you know that was what I was going to apologize for?"

"You're very predictable Harry." He said. His eyes widened as he realized that he had addressed Harry by his first name.

"Did you just call me Harry, Malfoy?" Harry asked with a raised brow. A small smile played on his face. He liked the sound of his first name coming from the blond laying on the sofa.

"You must be hearing things Potter. Clean out your ears." Draco quickly retorted. He hoped that he had hid the panic from his voice.

Harry smirked when he heard the small amount of panic behind Malfoy's words. The room fell silent again as Harry deliberated telling Malfoy about the papers. He had gotten home too late the night before to even think about talking to him about it. It wasn't clear to him as to why he wanted to tell Malfoy about the papers, he just knew that he wanted him to know.

After a few Minutes of chewing on his lip he decided to tell him. He cleared his throat causing Malfoy to open his eyes and mumble something about almost being asleep. "I got the divorce papers yesterday."

"What?" Malfoy said a little more aggressively than he intended. He sat up once again, all drowsiness gone from his body. He wasn't shocked about the information after all he already knew about the papers, well the him that was Dr. Black knew about them. He thought that the part of him that was Draco Malfoy would be kept in the dark about the papers.

"James came to my office yesterday and gave me the divorce papers." Harry said pressing further back into his seat.

"Sorry Potter, I didn't meant to startle you. I'm just surprised that you're telling me. Why are you telling me?"

Harry could hear how genuinely surprised Malfoy was, and relaxed. He shrugged "I'm not entirely sure. I just am."

Malfoy nodded still a bit flabbergasted about being told. "You're going to sign them correct?" He asked.

"Yeah I think so." Harry shifted his attention to the coffee table in front of him.

"You think?" Malfoy said slightly irritated. "You think? Potter, that woman cheated on you, and didn't have the decency to tell you to your face. You were sleeping on a couch in you office for Merlin's sake! I would think that signing those papers is common sense!" he seethed.

"Malfoy you don't get it." Harry said looking at him in the dimly lit room. "It's hard to end a marriage, even if that marriage turns out to not be as good as you thought it was."

Malfoy opened his mouth to retort but closed it as he remembered staring at divorce papers as his wife lie in a bed a few rooms away. He knew that ending a marriage was difficult. It had been difficult for him to sign those papers, and lose a wife and a friend all at once. In the end he couldn't do it, by convincing himself that it wasn't the right time.

Malfoy sighed and looked into the fire. "I know it's hard." he said quietly. Harry furrowed his brows in confusion. Before he could voice his confusion Valdey popped into the room.

"Master Draco, Master Harry dinner is ready."

"Thank you Valdey. We'll be right in." Malfoy said still looking at the fire in front of him. "Valdey, would you turn on the fire in the dining room please."

"Of course Master Draco." he replied and left the room with a crack.

After a few deep breaths Malfoy got up and walked to the double doors that led to the dining room from the sitting room. Before he opened them he said "Coming Potter? Or are you going to sit there all night?"

Harry didn't reply, he knew he didn't need to. He got up from his chair and followed Malfoy through the double doors. He went to his usual seat as Malfoy closed the door behind them.

He jumped and looked at Malfoy with bewilderment as he took a seat to his right instead of in front of him. Malfoy looked over at him and rolled his eyes. "If you don't remember Potter I asked Valdey to start the fire in here." he said as he started to fill his plate. "It gets hot over there, so I'm sitting here." He shrugged. "Will this be a problem?"

Harry quickly shook his head. "No, it's fine." He said as a he turned a light shade of scarlet and filled his plate.

Malfoy smirked and said "Good. The mornings are getting chilly so I might be sitting here more often." Harry nodded and looked at his plate trying to stifle a smile and quell his bush.

They ate their dinner in relative silence, only talking to comment on how good a certain part of their dinner was. When they weren't talking the air was slightly more tense than usual. Draco had noticed that Harry greatly disliked that tension and would typically break it during dessert, so it didn't come as a surprise to Draco when Harry did just that.

"You should really try this." he said pointing to his half eaten Eton Mess. "It beats that boring apple pie that you're having."

Draco turned slightly in his chair to face him. "Is that so?" He arched his brow.

"Definitely." Harry said taking another bite of his dessert.

"I'll be the judge of that." Malfoy swiftly took Harry's spoon from his hand and scooped some of Harry's Eton Mess onto it. Harry watched Malfoy with wide eyes as he ate the dessert. "I think you might just be right Potter." Malfoy said.

Harry involuntarily licked his lips, and his heart began to beat faster as he watched Malfoy lick the spoon clean. Malfoy handed the spoon back and Harry took it as he looked away from Malfoy to cover up his growing blush. "Thanks." He said quietly.

Malfoy smiled at knowing he had just made Harry turn cherry red. "Well Potter," he said as he got up from his chair "I will be going to bed. Enjoy your desert, goodnight." He left the dining room with a small bounce in his step and a smile stretched across his face.

Harry sat at the table staring at his dessert. His mind was racing. 'Malfoy... He was... The spoon... Oh Merlin that was hot... But why did he do it? Does he... No he cant possibly... He can barely tolerate me... But maybe he does... He did flirt that one time... It could be possible... But what about Dray? Oh, my dearest Dray... I don't even know if he likes me that way either... He kissed me back though, so maybe he does... Then there's Niko, he kissed me too... Well at least I know his intentions...' He began to vigorously run his hands through his hair. 'Merlin why does this have to be so difficult! I shouldn't be thinking about this right now. I'm still married for Merlin's sake.'

Harry sat back in his chair trying to empty his mind. He took in breath after breath as slowly emptied his mind of all three men. His heart rate slowly came back down and his breathing came back to normal. He then got up and went to his room. He changed into his pajamas while humming to himself, but couldn't remember where he hared the tune.

He laid on Scorpius' bed and looked up at the stars. His previously clear head began to dwell on the hectic day he just had, as he slowly began to fall asleep.

 _Harry had been working in the interrogation room for four hours when Hermione sent him a message through his medallion._

 _ **Harry,**_ ** _where are you?_**

 _Harry replied with:_ _ **I'm in Interrogation room 4. You'll know why I'm back here when you get here. Make sure to come with heavy barrier spells around you. Knock so I can open the room for you.**_

 _After a few minutes there was a knock at the door. Harry jumped out of his seat. "Hermione is that you?"_

 _"Yes Harry, it's me." Hermione said._

 _"Have you heavily warded yourself?" Harry asked worriedly._

 _"Yes Harry." She replied. "I started feeling a little suffocated by dark magic a few meters back. Can you open the door now?"_

 _"Okay but get ready to reinforce your barriers. The dark magic in here is much stronger than what you're feeling right now."_

 _"What are you talking about Harry?"_

 _"Just trust me Hermione." Harry pleaded._

 _"Okay, alright." Hermione said when she heard the desperation in his voice. She took out her wand and waited for Harry to open the door._

 _"Ready Hermione?"_

 _"Ready."_

 _Harry opened the door and Hermione was hit with a wave of powerful dark magic. She sucked in a breath as she felt the dark magic surround her trying to get past the few barriers she had around herself. She began to panic and fell to the floor struggling to breath. The dark magic was winning, she could feel one of her barriers break. "Hurry Hermione. I cant keep this door open for long. It will start to effect everyone in that room in a few seconds."_

 _When he saw that Hermione wasn't moving he took his wand and began to place barrier after barrier around her. After placing five highly protective barriers around her, she began to move towards the door. Harry went forward and grabbed her by the arms and pulled her to her feet. He helped her into the room and closed the door behind them._

 _He let her go and she fell to the floor, and leaned against the wall. He crouched down and cupped her face in his hands. "Hermione I need you to reinforce your barriers until the magic feels like a tingle. Do you understand me?" He asked firmly._

 _She nodded and did as she was told. "Now I know why you're back here." She said breathlessly. "Help me up would you?" She extended her hand towards and already standing Harry. He took it and helped her up and into a chair. "I brought lunch." She said as she reached into the bag she had on her shoulder._

 _"I can't eat right now Hermione." He said as he sat down next to her. "I've been in here," he looked up at the clock on the wall "four hours, and all I've been able to do is take down one ward. I have to..." Hermione cut him off._

 _"That's all the more reason to eat Harry. You need to keep your energy up if you want to keep going. I'll help you afterwords. Eat Harry." she said as she handed him a Tuna sandwich._

 _He reluctantly took it from her and set his wand on the table. He took a bite of the sandwich before saying "Have any chips in there?" Hermione smiled as she reached into her bag and took out a container with chips inside it. She handed it to him and he quickly opened it._

 _"How did you get this thing in here?" She asked as she took sandwich for herself out of her bag._

 _"I placed several magical dampening barriers on it. They didn't last long though. The thing started to break them almost instantly."_

 _"What?" She asked almost dropping the drink she had taken out of her bag. This terrified her, Harry's magical dampening spells were powerful, extremely powerful. If this thing could break them like they were nothing, the caster must be on the same caliber of power as Harry._

 _Harry nodded._ _ _"You should have seen what this thing did to me after it broke the last barrier I placed on it. It was bloody terrifying. It was like it had a mind of it's own, Hermione." There was terror embedded in his voice. "It was like it was mad that I confined the magic it was expelling, that I wouldn't let it hurt anyone on the way over here. It had me pined up against the wall and kept hitting me with magic. It broke three of my barriers before it gave up and let me go."__

 _ _The terror on Harry's voice scarred fright he had displayed when going up against Voldemort was nothing compared to this. The only thing that may have rivaled his current fear was the fear he had when he thought he was going to lose Albus a few years ago.__

 _"It's constantly breaking the protective barriers I've placed on the room." He continued. "It's like the magic learns, Hermione. Every time I replace a barrier it breaks it just a little faster. The only thing that seems to slow it down is breaking a ward on the box."_

 _This made Hermione very scared. She knew that when magic learns, nothing good can come of it. The tension and fear in the room began to unsettle her, so she decided to change the subject. "So you and Dr. Black?"_

 _"What?" Harry asked surprise embedded in his voice. He looked up from his sandwich to stare at Hermione with his eyebrows furrowed._

 _"You two seem close." she said in attempt to clarify what she was talking about. "You seem very close. I felt like I was intruding on a private moment in that room earlier today. Mind telling me what's going on?" She said raising a brow in inquiry._

 _Harry blushed "There's nothing much to tell." he said shrugging._

"I'm not thick Harry, I know there's something going on between you two." she teased.

 _"You know don't you?"_

 _"Know what Harry?"_

 _"That I'm bisexual." he dared to look up and saw a smile playing on Hermione's face._

 _"Of course!" She exclaimed. "Harry you looked at blokes all throughout school. There was Cedric, Zabini, Oliver Wood, Malfoy!" Her voice grew louder with every name she said. "You weren't as subtle about it as you think Harry."_

 _Harry's blush intensified. "Why didn't you say anything?"_

 _"You didn't want anyone to know, you weren't ready. I knew that you would tell us when you were ready. I just never thought it would take this long." She said casually._

 _The room fell silent for a moment. "Does Ron know?" Harry asked._

 _"He says you talk in your sleep sometimes, and one night in fifth year you said something about Anthony Goldstein. He couldn't look at you for a week after that."_

 _Harry groaned and banged his head against the metal table. Hermione laughed at his antics and pat his back. "It's okay Harry." She said. "Coming out to people is always hard. Neither Ron or I blame you for not telling us." Harry picked his head up off the table and gave Hermione a smile that said 'Thanks for understanding.'_

 _They spent the rest of their lunch talking about his impending divorce, Dr. Black and Harry's various crushes over the years. When the conversation turned to Nikmor Hermione voiced her disapproval, but said that if he ever did go out with him she would respect his decision. Harry was relieved to finally be able to talk to someone about all this._

After lunch they focused their attention to the box. "Elymas Magus Diaboli" Hermione said. "It means Devil's Sorcerer."

 _"I know." said Harry. "It's a group, similar to the Death Eaters, but less potent. They have the same beliefs but don't act on them. We've been keeping an eye on them, you know, just in case. They don't do much though. The most illegal thing they've done is try and smuggle someone out of Azkaban. They were far from successful. They mainly stage protests."_

 _"So then how did it end up in Ron?"_

 _"I don't know Hermione. This wasn't even his assignment. He was tracking the source of Fairy Dust."_

 _"Fairy Dust? You mean the magical drug that puts you in a state of euphoria for a few days?"_

 _"Yeah." He replied. He looked at Hermione from the corner of his eye then added "I'll ask Ron to fill me in on what happened when he's better Hermione. In the mean time I'll read his report."_

 _Hermione nodded, then put on her work face and said "Shall we?" Harry nodded and they began working on the box. Between the two of them it took an hour to successfully remove another ward. When they did the tingling feeling they were getting from the magic disappeared. They decided to remove one of their barriers, and continued working with the tingling of magic once again around them._

 _Ten minutes before four there was a knocking at the door. Harry and Hermione exchanged a puzzled look. "Minister are you in there?" came the muffled voice of Dr. Black._

 _"Did you tell him we were in here?" Hermione asked Harry._

 _"No." Harry replied. "I haven't spoken to him since this morning."_

 _"Arias is that you?" Dr. Black asked. "I'm going to come in." He turned the nob._

 _"No don't!" Harry and Hermione exclaimed but it was too late. The door was already open and the doctor entered. He closed the door behind him and shivered. He reached into his robe pocket and took out his wand. He cast a barrier around him and squared his shoulders._

 _"That was uncomfortable." He said as he put his wand away. Harry and Hermione wore dumbfounded looks. "Why is there so much..." the doctor trailed off as his eyes landed on the box. He gulped and pressed himself flat against the door._

 _"Doctor why are you here?" Hermione asked, still amazed at how the dark magic was merely 'uncomfortable' to the man in front of her._ _"I thought I told you to go home and get some rest."_

 _"You did but I find it best to do the necessary paperwork for a case such as this immediately." Dr. Black lifted the stack of papers he was holding._

 _"You are exhausted Dr. Black. Go home."_

 _The doctor took a deep breath and inched his way to the table. "I will. I just need you to sign here," He pointed to a line at the bottom of the first page before flipping a few pages and pointing to another line "and for Mr. Potter to sign here." He kept his eyes in Hermione as he spoke. He didn't want to look at the thing that terrified him to no end._

 _"If we sign this will you go home and get some rest?" She crossed he arms and leaned back in her chair._

 _Dr. Black smiled tiredly and said "Gladly Minister." His voice was a little shaky._

 _Hermione sighed. "Do you have a quill and ink?"_

 _The doctor placed the papers in front of her and reached into his robes. He took out a beautiful dark purple feathered quill and handed it to Hermione saying "It needs no ink." Hermione and Harry signed where they needed to and he left the room almost at a run._

 _Harry and Hermione spent the next three hours taking off another ward before Hermione demanded that Harry go home and get some rest._

Later that night Draco entered Harry's room finding him asleep with his glasses still on his face. He sighed. "Honestly Harry, why do you insist on sleeping with your glasses on?" He carefully removed Harry's glasses and placed them on the nightstand. He sat at the edge of the bed and began to run his hands through Harry's hair. A small satisfied smile played on his face. "You know you're quite the heavy sleeper, Harry." He said, reveling in the fact that he could say Harry's first name freely.

After sitting in silence for a few minutes he spoke again. "I came in here to talk to you, but you're asleep. I wanted to talk to you during dinner but I couldn't." There was a small pause before he spoke again.

"I'm going to tell you anyway, because come morning I will have lost my nerve... Astoria, you know my dead wife?... We got married out of obligation. Yes I loved her but not in the way you think. I could never love a woman that way. She knew this, she was my best mate after all. I really do miss her, and I know Scorpius misses her too" He looked down at Harry and smiled fondly, before his expression became serious and he continued.

"I asked her to marry me under the agreement of getting a divorce and going our separate ways when the time was right. So we married and produced an heir." He sighed. "When Scorpius started Hogwarts we decided to proceed with obtaining a divorce, but she got sick. I refused to sign the papers until she was better. I didn't want to leave my best mate like that, but she never did get better. She just got worse. I hated seeing her like that, and mind you I don't care about most people. I cared about her though, just like I care about you."

He leaned down and kissed Harry on the forehead. "My point Arias, is to tell you to not drag this out more than is needed. I don't want to see you hurt, sign the papers."

Draco leaned his head against the headboard and looked up at the stars. "I would have preferred to tell you this while you were awake but this will do just fine. I don't think I would have the courage to tell you if you were awake. There's this small part of me that is hoping that you are actually awake, but at the same time I hope you're not."

Harry woke with a start, and sat up in bed. "The doctor!" He said. Malfoy jumped off the bed and onto his feet.

"Potter, what are you... Are you okay? What doctor?" Malfoy asked frantically. His eyes widened. "Do you need a Healer?" He leaned over and grabbed Harry by the shoulders as he began to inspect him.

"What? No, Malfoy I'm fine." Harry shook of Malfoy's hands and stared at him. "Don't you see Malfoy? The doctor, the box didn't effect him. There has to be something different between him and everyone else, so the box won't effect him. I have to figure out why it didn't effect him."

Malfoy's eyes widened and became paler than he already was as he realized what 'box' Harry was talking about. The mention of the box terrified him and he couldn't find it inside himself to hide it as any Malfoy should.

"He only had one protective barrier around him. Hermione and I had several, but he was barely fazed. Actually it looked like he wasn't fazed at all." Harry continued to voice his thoughts, oblivious of Draco's paling face. "I mean it scared him, that much I could tell, but it didn't try and take him over like it did Hermione and me. Why? What's so different about him? All he said was the it was 'uncomfortable'. What does 'uncomfortable' mean?"

Harry stopped talking and took in Malfoy's terrified expression. "Malfoy are you okay? You're white as a sheet."

Malfoy blinked once and gulped audibly. "Box." he muttered under his breath.

"You were the other healer in the room weren't you? You know what box I'm talking about?" asked Harry. Malfoy nodded slowly. "You'll be okay Malfoy." he said as he reached out and took one of Malfoy's hands in his. "Merlin this thing really scared you didn't it?" Harry instinctively pulled the blond into a tight embrace. Malfoy slowly relaxed into the embrace and buried his face into the crook of Harry's neck.

"It's okay Draco. You'll be okay. It cant hurt you. The cursed thing is in a vault at the Ministry. It can't hurt you. You're okay." Harry said as he stroked Draco's hair.


	15. Ch15 New Beginnings

**New Beginnings**

Draco woke up the next morning in Harry's arms. He felt a mixture of happiness and horror. He couldn't believe that he spent the night in Harry Potters arms. He wanted to melt back into Harry's embrace, but he knew that if Harry woke up he would inevitably start an argument, and he really didn't want that first thing in the morning. Especially not when he just had one of the best nights sleep in a while.

He slowly untangled himself from Harry's grasp and slipped out of bed. When his feet touched the cold wood floor he noticed he wasn't wearing his shoes. He didn't remember taking his shoes off, but then again he didn't remember getting into bed with Harry. He smiled as he realized that Harry had taken the time to take his shoes off before he fell asleep. Draco grabbed his shoes and silently exited Scorpius' room. He decided that he would shower and change this morning instead of first eating breakfast.

When he entered the dining room Harry was siting in his usual seat, quietly eating. "Good morning, Draco." Harry said staring at the lit fireplace as the doors closed behind Malfoy.

Malfoy stopped in his tracks at the sound of his name. His heart pounded and his brain turned foggy. He liked the sound of his name coming from Harry Potters lips. He desperatly wanted to hear it again.

Harry turned around when Malfoy didn't reply. "Are you okay Malfoy?"

'No, Malfoy doesn't sound right at all.' He thought. He shook his head to clear the fog from his head. "I'm alright." he said and sat in the seat beside Harry. "Morning... Potter."

Harry looked at him curiously as he served himself breakfast. "What Potter?" Malfoy asked irritably.

"You're wearing Ministry robes."

Malfoy looked down at his white uniform, then at the Ministry emblem on his left shoulder. 'Shit!' he cursed inwardly. "So I am Potter." he said coolly.

"Why?"

'Okay Draco, this is your chance to tell him.' Malfoy thought. 'I'm Dr. Draconian Black. That's all you have to say Draco. Come on open your mouth and tell him.'

Harry looked at Malfoy with furrowed brows. He could see that Malfoy was trying to tell him something. Slowly an answer came to him. "Are you working at the Ministry now?"

"Yes." Malfoy replied instantly. He was glad that his answer wasn't a lie.

Harry nodded as a small satisfied smile played on his face. "Maybe we'll run into each other."

"Yes, maybe." he said looking into the fireplace. 'You still have a chance Draco. Tell him that you are Dr. Draconian Black. Grow a backbone Draco and tell him. He'll get mad if he finds out on his own. He doesn't have the best temper, you know this. Come on Draco open your mouth and tell him.'

"I'm going to sign them." Harry said ripping Malfoy from his thoughts and sending them to the back of his mind.

"What?" He tore his eyes from the fireplace and looked at Harry.

"The papers... I'm going to sign them. What you said yesterday, convinced me to sign them."

"What I said yesterday?" He looked at Harry with wide eyes. "You were awake?"

"Well I wasn't really awake. Have you ever been asleep but you are sort of aware of what's going on around you?"

Malfoy nodded slowly trying to grasp the fact that Harry had actually heard his story. "What do you remember?"

"I remember you talking about Astoria and signing divorce papers. Well about not signing them. Then you said something about not dragging it out because you didn't want to see me hurt. You even called me Harry a few times if I remember correctly."

Malfoy nodded and looked back at the fireplace, dazed. There was a few minutes of quiet eating before Harry got up and walked to the door.

"What? I don't get a bye today?" Malfoy asked over his shoulder.

Harry stopped and grinned. "You're so needy Draco." he teased and chuckled. "I'm not leaving yet. I'll be back. I couldn't bare staying away from you for too long."

"That's what they all say." Malfoy teased back.

Harry shuck his head and left the dining room saying "I'll be right back." As he walked to his room he thought 'That sounded like something Dray would say.' He smiled at the thought of the doctor.

Harry reentered the dining room and heard "You've come back to me."

Harry walked behind Malfoy and whispered in his ear "I'll always come back to you my love."

Malfoy noticeably shivered. Harry smirked and took his seat. "Do you have a quill?" he asked as he placed the papers he brought in with him on the table.

"You're going to sign them now?" Malfoy asked as he reached into his robes for his quill.

"Yes. There's no point in stalling. She doesn't love me, and I don't think I love her anymore either. Not after what she's put me through." he said his voice getting quieter with every word. He looked up from the papers and smiled weekly at Malfoy. "So, quill?"

"Er... Here." he handed Harry his dark purple feathered quill.

"My... Er... friend has a quill like this. I assume it doesn't need ink?"

"That's right." Malfoy said remembering that his alter ego had lent that exact same quill to him and Granger the day before.

Harry flipped through the pages until landing on the one he was looking for. He signed the paper and looking up at Malfoy. "There, I am officially divorced." He smiled and handed Malfoy back his quill.

"You sound happy."

"I am." Harry said with a small sort of fond smile. "I'm happier than I have been in a while, actually."

"Good." He said then gave Harry a genuine smile. "You deserve to be happy, Harry."

Harry felt himself blush slightly. "You just called me Harry." he said smugly.

"Sod off Potter." Malfoy said as he turned his attention to his plate.

Harry got up smiling widely. "Bye, Draco. See you at dinner." He said as he opened the door. "You should smile more. You have a beautiful smile." He smirked as he caught a glimpse of Malfoy's ruby red face right before the door closed behind him.

Harry made his way to the interrogation room he was in yesterday. As he walked down the hallway he applied barriers on himself. As he approached Interrogation room four he noticed two Aurors standing guard. 'Please don't be dead.' he thought remembering Johnson's and O'Neal's dead bodies.

"Clark, Harris is that you?" Harry said once the two Auror's features became more pronounced.

A blond haired woman turned her head to face Harry. "Auror Potter, it is us just as you presume."

"Oh, thank Merlin you are alive." Harry said without thinking.

"Alive? Why wouldn't we be alive?" The man next to her asked.

"Er..." Harry said as he stopped in front of the two Aurors.

"Don't worry Sir, we have been informed about the situation. Auror Clark is just," the blond sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose "Well he's just being himself. You know how he is sir."

Harry nodded and sighed as if to say 'Yes I know.'

"Why are you two out here? Herm... the Minister told me that she put two Aurors inside to reinforce the barriers every few minutes, and to see if they could take some of those wards down." Harry asked directing his question to the blond.

"We were doing just that sir, but at some point Auror Clark over here," she motioned at the man next to her, "got frustrated and sent a hex at the box. The magic then seemed to get thicker and attacked him. I've never seen anything like it. I could actually see the magic and how angry it was. After a few minutes it let him go and I decided to guard it from the outside."

"You did?" Harry asked the woman.

"Yes sir, I wasn't going to put my partner in any more danger. "

"Hey! A box is not what is going to kill me." Auror Clark said. "You are." he said with a smirk and a taunting voice.

Auror Harris opened her mouth to retort but thought better of it and closed her mouth. She closed her crystal blue eyes in mild agitation. When she opened them she looked at Harry and said "I know that procedure dictates that I at least tell you of what's happening first, but we were instructed not to disturb you by the Minister herself. I did however contact her about the situation after it let Auror Clark go."

Harry hummed and nodded. "Well I do need to get in there." he said pointing at the door in front of him.

"Yes of course." Auror Clark said. "Just so you know Potter the Minister is already in there. She has been waiting for you." He gave Harry a cheeky smile, causing Harry to look at him with apprehension.

Auror Harris rolled her eyes at her partners behavior. "We will provide a barrier wall of sorts so there is little to no excess dark magic reaching anyone else." she said and Harry turned his head to look at her. "Ready Auror Clark?" she raised her wand.

"You know I'm always ready Harris." Auror Clark said lifting his wand and walking to stand beside her. They began to recite spell after spell until their barrier wall was visibly shining.

"There!" Auror Clark said. "What beautiful shades of blue, pink, purple, red, yellow, Oh is that green?" He grinned at Harry who looked at him with a small impressed smile, then at Auror Harris who rolled her eyes as if to say 'Grow up'.

"Lighten up Angelina my sweet." he said in a teasing tone and caressed her cheek.

She swatted his hand away sternly saying "Don't call me that Clark we are on duty. You need to learn some restraint." This only made Auror Clark's grin wider.

Harry chuckled at his coworkers slightly before being sent a deadly glare by Aurror Harris. He adopting a straight face before clearing his throat. "Right, well I'll leave you two to it then." He said as he turned the doorknob. "Oh, that's an impressive barrier. Keep up the good work." he said and disappeared into the room.

"Morning Harry." Hermine said with her eyes glaring down at the box.

"Morning Hermione." Harry replied as he took a seat beside her. "What is it?"

"It's just... I don't understand how this thing can fight back. How can magic have a mind of it's own?" Her voice held worry and intrigue.

"It reminds me of a Horcrux. Those things fought back. They didn't want to die, so maybe it's kind of like that?"

"Yes Harry but a Horcrux contains a part of someones soul. This thing... Well as far as I can tell it doesn't have a soul. I've checked, it's just ward after ward piled up against each other."

"Give it time Hermione. Maybe the wards aren't letting you check properly."

"Perhaps your right." she said thoughtfully.

"How many are left?"

"Well Dr. Black took two down trying to take it out of Ron. You took one down without me yesterday. We took down two together, and Aurors Clark and Harris took one down before getting attacked. By my count there's four left."

Harry sighed before taking his wand out and saying "Alright let's get this over with."

They worked in relative silence, occasionally talking to each other about the intricacies of the ward they were working on. About every forty-five minutes one of them had to reestablish a few of the barriers in the room. Every hour or so Hermione would demand that they take a twenty minute break to rest their magic and brains. Ten minutes before twelve o'clock Hermione insisted that they take a break for lunch.

"Hermione we're almost done with this one. We can't leave now." Harry complained.

"Yes we can, and we will. I am hungry, I need a break and I want to see my husband." Hermione said firmly.

"But..." Harry began but stopped protesting when Hermione sent him a withering glare. "Fine." he said as he stood up and walked to the door. He knocked on the door, leaned against it and said "Harris, Clark we're coming out. Let us know when you're ready."

A few seconds later the door flew open and Harry stumbled out the door. It took him a few stumbled steps to regain his balance. When he did he looked at the other side of the barrier wall expecting to see Auror's Clark and Harris. Instead he saw a man with short blue hair with his nose in a book.

"A little warning would have been nice Davis." Harry said.

"Yes and not being mistaken for Clark would have been nice." Auror Davis said coolly, not looking up from his book.

"I didn't know this position was being taken in shifts." Harry said turning to look at Hermione with a pointed look.

"Did I not mention putting a few Aurors on a lookout rotation?" Hermione grinned, feigning innocence.

"Her... Minister I am Head Auror I should know when my Aurors are being put on assignment. Especially when it is not an assignment that I have given them."

"I know. It just slipped my mind."

Harry sighed. "I know." Harry turned to Auror Davis and said "Where's Thompson?"

"Getting coffee." He replied as he waved his wand to close the door Hermione failed to close after herself. He then released the Barrier wall so Harry and Hermione could walk through, never once lifting his eyes from his book.

"Of course he is." Harry said as he walked past Auror Davis.

"When Auror Thompson comes back you both can go inside and take down some of those wards if you would like."

This got Auror Davis to lift his head and look at Hermione. He always did love a challenge but from the stories that he had been hearing about the box he wasn't so sure about taking on this challenge. A flash of fear past through his eyes but it disappeared as quickly as it came. "I understand Minister." he said and returned to his book.

Harry stood in front of a door that read DR. DRACONIAN BLACK: Department of Magical Law Enforcement Physician. He took a beep breath and knocked on the door. "Come in." Harry involuntarily smiled when he recognized the Doctors silky voice. He squared his shoulders and opened the door.

The doctor lifted his head from the steaming cauldron he was working over. "Arias." he said with a bright smile. He turned to glance at the clock on the wall then looked at Harry and said "You're eight minutes early."

Before Harry could reply a voice spoke from behind him. "Whose eight minutes early Dr. Black? Did someone scheduled and appointment?"

Harry turned around to see Nikmor Faedi shuffling through paperwork. It felt like years that Harry had last seen the Half Elf. "Niko." Harry said causing Nikmor to raise his head from what he was doing and look at Harry with wide eyes.

'Niko?' The doctor thought as he made a face at the nickname.

Nikmor hadn't seen Harry in days, and seeing him now made butterflies flutter around in his stomach. "Harry." he said slightly breathless. A twinkle rose in his eyes as he stared at Harry. They stayed gazing into each others eyes in silence for a few seconds until Dr. Black cleared his throat.

"Mr. Faedi, did you bring the paperwork I needed?"

Nikmor reluctantly broke eye contact will Harry and looked at the doctor. "Yes sir. It's right here." he said as he shuffled through the stack of papers to extract a faded red folder and handed it to the doctor.

"Put it on my desk please." Nikmor nodded and did as he was asked before walking to his desk and letting the stack of papers he was holding fall onto his desk with a loud thump.

The doctor looked once more to Harry and said "Give me a few more minutes to finish up, then I'm all yours Arias. Okay?"

"Of course." Harry said as he nodded and walked closer to the counter the doctor was working over. "What are you making?"

"A burn paste." he said looking at Harry through his lashes.

"Was Ron burnt?" Harry asked concern lacing his voice.

"No, Mr. Weasley if fine Arias. There's not a burn on him. This is for St. Mungo's. They are running low on some of their supplies. I'm just helping them restock."

"You're not using the Ministry supplied ingredients to make this are you? Hermione will kill you if you are."

Dr. Black chuckled. "No Arias, I wouldn't dare. I'm using St. Mungo's supplied ingredients."

Harry nodded once before saying "How much longer?" He leaned on the counter in front of Dr. Black.

"About five more minutes. You could help me. It might make time go by faster."

Harry gave a hearty laugh. "Trust me Dray you don't want me to help. I'm rubbish at potions."

'Oh yes I remember.' the doctor thought. "If you say so." he said.

"Harry?" Nikmor said braking the silence that had enveloped the room.

Harry looked up from looking at the doctor's hands work. "Yes?"

"Can I talk to you?" Nikmor asked shyly. Harry looked to the clock then back at Nikmor and nodded. "May we speak in your office?"

"Sure." Harry said and tilted his head to catch the doctors eye. "I'll be back okay?" The doctor only nodded in response refusing to look at Harry directly.

Harry and Nikmor walked to Harry's office in silence. Right as Harry closed the door behind them Nikmor said "I'm sorry." Harry turned to see Nikmor clutching the backrest of one of the white leather armchairs tightly, with his back facing him.

Harry didn't say anything, but stared at Nikmors back. He had decided that it would be best to hear Nikmor out before he said anything. When Harry continued to stay quiet NIkmor continued. "I'm sorry for not doing my job. I've been working my hands to the bone trying to making up for it these last few days. I know that this doesn't make up for neglecting my duties. I know... I just... I was letting my feelings for you blind me. I just haven't felt this way since my wife." He turned around to face Harry. "I'm not trying to make excuses. I know that... Dr. Black is right, I cant be a good Healer if I can't separate my personal life from my work one. I-I'm trying to fix that. I realized that... I know that your friend is alive, but... If it weren't for Dr. Black he wouldn't be... Because of my negligence your friend almost died. I'm sorry. I should have been there... I should have been there sooner. I-I'm sorry." he said with tears beginning to roll down his face.

Felling shame and guilt engulf him he shut his eyes tightly and turned his face away from Harry. Harry slowly walked towards him. "I know." he said softly as he wiped a tear from Nikmor's cheek. Nikmor opened his eyes and looked at Harry in shock.

"What happened to Ron isn't your fault. While yes, I agree that you should have been there when you were called I really don't think you could have done much for him." There was a small pause. "I think it's also my fault. I shouldn't have let you come in here that often. Maybe if I had told you that you couldn't be in here every once and a while it wouldn't have turned out that way. I was being selfish. I liked it when you came in here. You were my distraction from the mountains of boring and tedious paperwork that I have to do everyday. I shouldn't have been so selfish. I should have thought about you and your duties. So it isn't you fault Niko." He brought Nikmor in for a hug and the other man didn't hesitate to reciprocate the gesture.

After a few minutes Harry let Nikmor go and said "I have to go to lunch. If I don't then Hermione will kill me." Nikmor nodded. When Harry opened the door he was surprised to see Dr. Black standing with his arm raised as if he was about to knock on the door.

"Arias." He said a little dazed.

Harry smiled. "Already missing me I see."

The doctor smiled back, his cheeks gaining a slight pink color to them. "I came to see what was taking you so long." He looked over Harry's shoulder to where Nikmor was standing. " Mr. Faedi, I trust you know how to make a Pepper-Up Potion?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. The indigence are all prepared on the counter. I need you to make the Pepper-Up and place the finished product into vials. No, leave it in the cauldron. I will be back to check your work. I have not seen your potions skills therefor do not trust you. Am I understood?"

"Yes Dr. Black. Goodbye Harry." Nikmor bowed his head and made his way back to the office quietly.

"Bye Niko." Harry said before walking beside the doctor to lunch.

While Harry and the doctor were eating their fruit salad Harry broke the comfortable silence saying "I think you know my roommate." The doctor rose a brow in question. "His name is Draco Malfoy."

"Yes, I know him. More than you know." He mumbled the last part.

"How long have you known him?"

"My entire life."

Harry paused for a moment as he thought of the Quidditch game. "Why were you at Hogwarts last Saturday? I thought you were visiting distant relatives that day."

The doctor sighed and looked away from Harry. 'Come on Draco he's given you another chance to tell him the truth. Open your mouth and tell him.'

Harry looked at the doctor worriedly as he continued to stare at the floor. When the silence got too much for him, he said "Were you there to see Draco?" The doctor shook his head in response. "Why were you there, Dray?" Harry asked cupping the doctors cheek and forcing him too look at him.

He decided the that he wouldn't lie to Harry. "I went to see Scorpius play."

"Why didn't I see you before the game?"

"You might have seen me, I was just... very well hidden."

"Very well hidden? What does that mean?" Harry asked more to himself than to the doctor. After a few minutes of silence Harry asked "Do you have glamor over yourself?" The doctor shut his eyes tightly and nodded his head. "So this isn't what you really look like?" The doctor nodded his head again. "Can you take them off?"

The amount of compassion and understanding in Harry's voice made the doctor open his eyes. He looked into Harry's green eyes looking for a sign of agitation, hate or anything that would contradict his voice. He found none. He pulled Harry's hand away from his cheek and looked at it as he played with the long fingers and rubbed patterns to the surprisingly soft palm.

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Harry loved the tingles that were sent up his arm every time the doctor traced a pattern into his palm. But he knew that the sensations would not last forever, so he allowed himself to revel in the mans touch.

"I can't." Dr. Black said sullenly as he stopped playing with Harry's hand and looked up at him.

"Dray..." Harry started but was cut of by a finger landing on his lips.

"I'm sorry Arias. As much as I would like to show you what I really look like, I can't. I'm not ready." he said as he slid his hand from Harry's lips to his cheek.

"Okay." Harry said as he leaned into the doctors touch.

After Lunch Harry went back to interrogation room four and worked with Hermione to remove one more ward. When Hermione suggested that they leave the final ward for tomorrow Harry agreed without a fight. He was tired and hungry. All he wanted to do was go home have dinner with Draco and go to sleep.

Right as Harry approached the door they heard a loud bang. Harry, thinking that the his Aurors were being attacked opened the door without a second thought. Adrenaline pumped through his veins as he pulled his wand out ready to attack. He turned to find Nikmor pinned against the wall by Auror Davis, His shoulders slumped, the adrenaline running through his veins was quickly replaced with exhaustion.

When the now small amount of Dark Magic emanating from the box hit Nikmor he shuttered and screamed. He felt the magic slowly enter his body.

Hermione heard the yell and ran towards the door saying "Harry what were you thinking!" She quickly closed the door behind her and applied a few barriers to the door. She turned around to see Nikmor pinned to the wall panting. "Oh, It's you." She said anger and hate filling her words.

"You know this man Minister?" Auror Davis asked.

"Unfortunately I do." she replied with the same amount of disdain if not more than before.

Harry sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose lifting his glasses in the process. "This Davis, Thompson," he said acknowledging the black haired man standing next to his partner, wand drawn and pointed at Nikmor, "is Nikmor Faedi. Healer in training. He works here." His tone tired. It was clear to almost everyone standing in the hallway that he was warn out and wanted to go home. "You can let him go." he waved a hand lazily in he air.

Auror Davis did as he was told. Next to Harry, Hermione huffed and rolled her eyes before storming back onto the interrogation room. When the door was opened again Nikmor nearly fell to his knees as another wave of dark magic hit him. Luckily the door closed behind Hermione quick enough for him to recover his strength and stand tall.

"Book." Auror Davis said extending his hand towards his partner. Auror Thompson quietly handed Auror Davis back his book before placing his wand back into his wand holster. Auror Davis opened his book and began reading as he retook his position to the right side of the door. His partner took his original position to the left side of the door with his hands behind his back.

"Harry," Nikmor said delightedly, "I was looking for you. I wanted to ask you something."

"How did you know I was here?" Harry asked but before Nikmor could answer he continued. "You know I don't really care. What is it you came to ask me?"

Nikmor smiled. "Right to the point huh?" he said teasingly, but Harry didn't register it. He felt dead to the world. "Well Harry, Saturday is my day off and I was wondering if you would fancy having dinner with me?"

"Yeah. Sure Niko. Sure." Harry replied tiredly, but the Half Elf still didn't register how tired Harry was.

"Great! I'll give you the details at a later date okay?" He said the delight in his voice clear to the two Aurors on guard duty. Harry just nodded slowly, as he yawned. "See you tomorrow Harry." Nikmor leaned down and placed a soft kiss in Harry's cheek. Harry's brow furrowed in confusion as Nikmor turned on his heal and practically skipped down the hallway.


	16. Ch16 The Demon King

**The Demon King**

"Master." A timid voice said.

"What is it Jispy?" Draco said as he continued reading his book.

"Master Potter not wakin' Master." the house elf said as she looked at the floor in shame.

Draco looked up from his book and looked at Jispy through his lashes. He very slowly took his eyes away from Jispy and looked at the clock on his nightstand. It read 11:05. "I see." He said, marking his book with a dark green ribbon. He placed his book on the night stand and got out of bed. "Thank you Jispy. I shall take care of this. You are dismissed for the day."

"Thank you Master." Jispy said before she disappeared from the room with a crack.

Draco walked into the sitting room to find Harry on his favorite chair. "Harry." Draco whispered as he wiped a strand of hair from Harry's eyes. He leaned in closer to the dark haired man. "You have to wake up my dear Arias, unless you want me to carry you." he said in a normal volume.

Harry shifted closer to Draco as he murmured something incoherent. Draco smiled fondly at the man snuggled in the dark green velvet armchair. "I guess I'm carrying you then." He sighed as if he was put out. Despite his antics he was happy that Harry hadn't woken up. This gave him the opportunity to finally get his wish of carrying Harry Potter.

He gently lifted Harry out of the armchair bridal style. Harry immediately snuggled closer to the warmth that was Draco's chest. His head laid on Draco's shoulder and one hand came to lightly grip the black silk pajama top Draco was wearing.

Draco walked to Scorpius' room making sure that Harry didn't hit anything on the way. He gently laid Harry on the bed and walked to the suitcase laying by the end of the bed and retrieved Harry's usual night wear of sweats and a T-shirt. On numerous occasions he had offered that Harry empty one of Scorpius' drawers and put his clothes in it but was always given the same answer. "No thank you Malfoy. Allowing me to sleep here is too much already. I can't start changing your son's room too." In Draco's opinion Harry was being incredibly stubborn and completely unreasonable. A couple of times he thought of doing it himself but in the end he respected Harry's wish of disturbing the room as little as possible.

Draco reached for the buttons of Harry's black velvet vest but stopped when he noticed the intricate detail on it. It was one of the most beautiful vests he had ever seen. He leaned closer and found that the designs contained a green tint. This just added to the vests beauty. He slowly ran his hand over the incredibly soft material. 'This feels like silk.' He thought. 'But this is clearly velvet fabric. No! It can't be? Can it? How did he...?'

Draco's brain was going haywire. He couldn't possibly fathom how or why Harry would have a vest like this. He knew that it wasn't like Harry to buy a fabric like this. He also knew that it must have been incredibly expensive. After all he was barely able afford the deep purple kerchief he had made of the same material. The enchantments placed upon the fabric to make it look like velvet and feel like silk is what made the fabric so expensive. It must have cost Harry even more due to the intricate details holding a hint of green.

"How did you get this Arias?" He asked himself as he continued to slide his hand over the material. He must have hit a sensitive spot at Harry's side because Harry moaned in pleasure and his eyes fluttered. Draco quickly removed his hand and clutched it close to his chest. He held his breath in fear of Harry waking up. Only when he was sure that Harry was not going to wake he exhaled and took out his wand. He thought it would be better for both him and Harry if he magically changed his clothes.

The next morning Harry woke up to the smell of bacon. He smiled as he lay on his back refusing to open his eyes. He was too comfortable and tired to move. The only thing he wanted to do was fall back to sleep but he knew that he was going to have to go to work. The peaceful silence of _his_ room was disturbed by the creaking of the door. He slowly turned his head to the door and reluctantly opened his eyes. The only thing he saw was a white fuzzy spot in the doorway that was too tall to be a House Elf, so he assumed he was looking at Draco. "Malfoy?" He asked groggily.

"Morning Potter." Malfoy said as he stepped into the room. "I have brought you breakfast, seeing as you slept right through it." he said snidely.

"What?" Harry said jumping into a sitting position on the bed, all notions of sleep disappearing. "What time is it?"

"Ten till seven." Draco said calmly.

"Shite!" Harry ripped the sheets away from him and jumped out of bed heading towards his suitcase completely forgetting the fact that he couldn't see.

Malfoy shook his head. "Potter there is no need to worry..."

"No need to worry?" Harry said cutting Malfoy off. "I'm going to be late, how is that not something to worry about?" He practically screamed. He was now frantically looking through his suitcase for something to wear.

"Potter if you hold still for a minute and let me explain," he set the tray of food he was carrying on the nightstand, "you would understand why there's no need to worry." Malfoy turned around to see Harry with a dark blue button up shirt, socks and hot pink boxers in one hand and rummaging through his suitcase with the other. It was obvious that Harry was ignoring him. Malfoy sighed and walked calmly to where Harry knelt. With his foot he closed the top of Harry's suitcase. Fortunately Harry was able to remove his hand before the lid closed on it.

"Malfoy!" Harry exclaimed as he looked up at Draco. "What the hell!"

"Calm down Potter." Draco said as he knelt down beside Harry.

"What the bloody hell do you mean 'calm down'? I'm going to be late."

"Listen to me Potter."

"I don't have time for this Draco!" Harry turned back to his suitcase and opend the lid again. "I need to find..." He was cut off by two soft hands cupping his face and being forced to look at Malfoy.

"You need to listen to me Harry." Malfoy said calmly. Harry thought he heard a bit of amusement in his voice but he couldn't be quite sure. As he looked into the liquid silver eyes of Draco Malfoy his heart began to flutter and butterflies began to fly around in his stomach. "Are you going to listen now?" Draco asked now with clear amusement in his voice. Harry could do nothing else but nod.

"Good." Draco said not letting Harry's face go. "I fire called Granger last night and let her know about your condition."

"Condition?" Harry asked furrowing his brow.

"Shh. Don't interrupt." Draco said placing a finger over Harry's lips, effectively silencing him. "You were magically drained last night. I suggested you sleep in today to allow your magic to replenish. Granger says that you are to report to work any time after lunch, no earlier." Draco slowly removed his finger from Harry's lips only to be replaced by his thumb. He slowly ran his finger over Harry's soft pink lips, causing Harry's breath to hitch. Draco smirked and stood up extending a hand to Harry.

"Now, put your atrociously colored pants away, get back in bed and eat your breakfast. Healers orders." Harry could feel his cheeks begin to turn a red as he set his clothes back into his suitcase and take Draco's hand.

After Harry was settled back into bed Draco handed him his glasses. "Now after you eat, you need to sleep. That's an order form a highly respected Healer, Potter, so listen to it." Draco said sternly. The compassion and worry Harry heard in Draco's voice, made his already red cheeks turn a shade darker. "I'll tell Valdey to wake you for lunch." Draco continued before heading for the door.

"Thank you Draco." Harry said quietly.

"There's no need to thank me Potter. I take care of my patients." He said waving away Harry's statement. "I'll see you at dinner Potter."

"Yeah, see you at dinner." Harry said looking at Draco's back as he walked out of the room closing the door behind him.

Valdey woke Harry exactly at twelve o'clock. The first thing Harry did was check his medallion for any updates on the box.

 **Harry,**

 **Aurors Clark and Harris helped me remove the last ward on the box. Both Clark and Harris have preformed the necessary scans on the box. They and I feel it is safer to wait for you to open it. We are in magical containment room seven. Meet us there once you have had your lunch. I mean it Harry. AFTER YOU HAVE HAD YOUR LUNCH.**

 **Hermione**

Harry then instructed Valdey to pack him a lunch for two and took a quick shower. He wanted to see if he could catch the doctor for lunch even if it meant having a thirty minute lunch.

When Harry arrived at the Ministry it was twelve thirty. He did have to admit that resting for half the day did wonders. There was a noticeable difference in how he felt before breakfast and now. Before his five hour nap his entire body felt tired. His muscles were tight and heavy, sore almost. His could barely keep his eyes open that morning. If he was being totally honest it was a chore to jump out of bed and rummage through his suitcase that morning. Now his muscles felt light and like he could run around the world without stopping.

He could even tell the difference in his magic. Yesterday, the little magic he could feel coursing through his veins was slow and steady. It was like a constant reassuring presence, but now it felt electrifying. It tingled and pulsed through his veins. He could tell that his magic was stronger, more resilient to stress and prolonged use. Training ones magic he remembered was like training muscles. To put it in a simple was the more you lift weights the stronger your muscles get. Training your magic was kind of like that, except it happened at a much slower rate. A wizard had to use their magic to the fullest extent to be able to become stronger, so Harry came to the conclusion that he pushed himself harder than he thought yesterday to be able to feel this much difference in his magic.

Harry was looking as the floor as he exited the elevator and bumped into someone causing papers to scatter across the floor. "I am so sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going." Harry said as he frantically bent down to pick up the papers closest to him.

"It is quite alright." the man said as he knelt down and placed his hand over one of Harry's. "You know you really don't have you."

Harry looked up into eyes that were such a bright shade of amber that they looked gold. Harry couldn't breath, the only time he had seen eyes that color was on Remus when he was in his wolf form. He had a slight suspicion that he was looking into the eyes of a werewolf. As if the man in front of him could read his mind he said "I'm not a werewolf if that's what you're thinking."

Harry struggled for something to say but could only stare at the black haired man. "How?" Harry said finally.

"It happens more often than you think." The man said a little bitterly and looked back down at the papers scattered on the floor. As the man picked up his papers Harry looked him over. He was wearing what looked like a dark blue overcoat with flowers embroidered on the lapel and cuffs. He had a plain white shirt with a black tie that matched the embroidery of his coat. Harry also noticed the pristine white gloves the man was wearing, how he didn't feel them earlier was a mystery to him.

'He must be a pureblood.' Harry thought before handing the man the few papers he was carrying. "I really am sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going." he said as they stood up.

The man smiled weekly, slightly amused. "It really is no problem. I wasn't looking either. You can say that we are both at fault, Mr?"

Harry hesitated, before spitting out "Potter!" He was surprised that the man before him didn't know who he was. "Auror Potter."

The golden eyed mans smile widened. "Well Auror Potter," he said emphasizing Harry's title, "it is a pleasure to meat you."

"It's a pleasure to meet you too Mr?" Harry said reaching for the hand that was extended towards him.

"Mister Hayes!" the familiar voice of Dr. Black cried out. The dark haired man turned to face the doctor. "I'm glad I was able to catch you." the doctor said as he approached. "I have thought about your proposal but I am happy where I am." He said handing the dark haired man the midnight blue folder he was holding.

"I see." Mr. Hayes said as he took the folder. "It's a shame. We would have been happy to have you with us."

"Yes well, " The doctor trailed off when looked to the right of the amber eyed man and caught Harry's eye. "Arias, what are you doing here? I thought you were resting today." A small scowl apperared on his face.

"I was. I... Well, I actually came to see if you would like to have lunch with me. I know it's late and all but I would really like to have lunch with you." Harry rambled, the light shade of pink on his cheeks growing darker. The doctor had a small grin stretched across his face and a look of admiration in his eyes as Harry continued to ramble on about lunch.

Mister Hayes looked between the two with narrowed golden eyes. "Yes, well I must be going. It was nice meeting you Auror Potter." He said. "Dr. Black I truly am sorry you wont be joining us. You both have a good day." he turned on his heal and briskly walked into the elevator leaving both men standing there with baffled expressions.

"Lunch?" The doctor asked after a few silent moments.

Harry smiled. "Lunch."

"Did you bring me anything?" Dr. Black asked teasingly.

"As it so happens I did. How does a warm Beef Stew sound to you?"

"It sounds perfect." He replied and they walked back to Harry's office in silence.

Harry walked into magical containment room seven to find the room empty. There wasn't even an Auror on guard outside. He found this extremely odd. 'Why didn't Hermione assign someone to stand guard. That doesn't sound like her.' He thought as he walked deeper into the room.

On every wall there were shelves filled with dark items, some more dangerous than others. Harry could remember putting some of the items on those shelves. In fact most of what was on those shelves were put there by him. In the middle of the room was a small metal table. On top of the table was the light cherry stained box.

Harry stared at the box for a moment before tentatively opening it. He expected to be thrown across the room with a blast of dark magic but was instead greeted by a wave of soothing light magic. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, welcoming the magic, as it swirled around him harmonizing with his own. He opened his eyes as he heard the click of the door opening and the magic around him faded quickly.

He turned to see Hermione standing in the doorway with Aurors Clark and Harris close behind. "You've opened it." She said mildly horrified.

"Uh, yeah. Was I not supposed to?" Harry asked innocently.

"You could have at least put up some wards Harry!"

"I did." Hermione l gave him a stern look before he caved. "Okay I didn't. I know I should have, but there was just something that told me that it would be okay if I didn't put anything up."

Hermoine rolled her eyes and walked into the room followed by Aurors Clark and Harris. "What's inside it then." She asked gesturing to the box.

Harry shrugged and turned to look inside the box. The first thing he found was a note written in an elegant cursive. He picked it up and read:

 **This my dear Mr. Potter is a gift from me to you. It might just come in handy one day. That is, of course of you can figure out how to use it.**

 **~ The Demon King  
**

When he turned the card over he saw the same dragon that was on the box flying around, occasionally stopping to breath a breath of its violet fire.

He passed the note to Hermione before looking into the box once more to find a dagger lying at the bottom. The hilt was made of a beautiful white crystal carved into the shape of an Antipodean Opaleye. Every scale of the dragon could be seen as clear as day. The blade was in the shape of the dragons fire and was a beautiful shade of violet. If Harry didn't know any better he would have have thought that he was looking at a miniature dragon and not a dagger.

"The Demon King?" Hermione asked.

"He created Fairy Dust." Auror Harris answered her.

"Fairy Dust? The magical drug that puts you in a euphoric state for about two days?"

"That's correct, Minister."

"Why is he talking directly to you, Harry? He put this thing in Ron so why wouldn't he direct it to Ron?"

"I don't know Minister. That is a very good question. Another good question would be why a note from a drug lord was inside a box with Elymas Magus Diaboli written on it." Auror Harris answered her, when Harry stayed silent.

"Perhaps they are the same. It does mean Devil's Sorcerer." Auror Clark said.

"It's highly unlikely they are associated with each other." Harry said finally looking up from the dagger.

"Auror Clark makes a good point sir. It is The Demon King that is addressing you. It makes sense that he would be in league with Elymas Magus Diaboli. It makes sense that a demon is in league with devils." Auror Harris said, conviction in her voice.

"No, I don't think so. Diaboli is a group of politicians that believe in the benefits of dark magic. They don't do acts of violence. They're don't even use dark magic. This can't be them. I think the box is just meant to send us in the wrong direction. The only way to know for sure is if we talk to Ron."

"You haven't talked to Ron!" Hermione screeched.

"Er, no." He said rubbing the back of his neck.

"Harry!"

"I know, I know. I didn't want to bombard him so soon after having an operation. He barely survived Hermione. I'll talk to him today."

"Sir." Auror Harris interrupted. Harry and Hermione looked over at her. "I saw Auror Weasley walk into Dr. Blacks office before we walked in here. He might still be there."

Hermione gave Harry a stern look. "I'm going, I'm going." he said raising his hands in defeat. He took the note form Hermione and placed it back into the box, before closing the lid. "Clark, Harris, I need you both to stay here and look over the box. Just don't touch the dagger that's inside. I've got a bad feeling about it."

"Yes sir." Auror's Harris and Clark said simultaneously.

"You can come with me if you want Hermione."

"No, I think you should talk to Ron alone." She said and walked out of the room.

"Er, Okay." Harry turned to face the other two in the room. "Don't touch the dagger, that's all I ask." He said looking pointedly at Auror Clark, who gave him a wide grin.

"Don't worry sir, I'll keep him in line." Auror Harrison said looking pointedly at her partner.

"Thank you." Harry said and walked out of the room. He made his way slowly across the big room to the doctors office. He knocked on the door and waited for the smooth voice of Dr. Black to allow him entrance, but was instead greeted by Nikmor Faedi as he opened the door.

"Niko," Harry said, "is Mr. Weasley in?"

"No, Auror Potter. Last I heard he was going to wait for you in your office." Nikmor said.

"Okay, thank you Niko." Harry said and turned on his heal. He took a few steps before he was stopped by Nikmor calling his name.

"Harry wait." Harry turned to face Nikmor and waited for him to continue speaking. "Do you like Italian?" He asked his cheeks turning a light pink.

"Er, yes." Harry said confused. "Why?"

"For are date this Saturday." he said in a tone that said Harry was being silly. "Don't tell me you don't remember saying yes when I asked you yesterday." Harry ran a hand through his hair trying to remember saying yes to a date with Nikmor. The events of last night came back to him slowly.

He screwed his eyes tight before opening them and letting green eyes meet blue ones. "I did, didn't I?" he said slightly annoyed at himself for saying yes in the first place. 'I'm fresh out of a marriage and I was dead tired last night. Why did I say yes.' Harry thought. 'What the bloody hell was I thinking? I might as well go, I already said yes. Besides he looks so excited.'

"So Italian is good for you yes?" Nikmor asked a grin erupting on his face as Harry nodded. "I was also thinking we could spend the day together."

"Er, Yeah, okay." Harry said.

"Great! I'll pick you up at ten alright?"

"Alright." Harry nodded as he wondered what he was getting himself into.

"I'll see you later Harry." Nikmore said leaving Harry standing there in the middle of the walkway baffled.

Harry shook his head to clear it before turning around and heading to his office. When he walked in the first thing he saw was the familiar red hair and freckled face of Ronald Weasley sitting behind his desk, asleep. Harry smirked and let the door slam behind him.

Ron jumped a few inches in his chair at the loud bang of the door. "Bloody hell." he said and fixed Harry with a scowl. "What the hell was that for? A simple nudge and 'wake up Ron' would have sufficed."

Harry laughed. "I've tried to wake you up like that enough times to know it doesn't work. Besides you're in my chair."

"Well it's not like I can sit anywhere else." Ron said motioning to the stack of papers on almost every piece of furniture in the room. "And I'm not sitting on that thing." He said pointing at the couch. "Not after that twat fell asleep on it."

"He's not that bad." Harry said recognizing who Ron was talking about.

"Yeah? Seemed like a twat when I meat him earlier."

"It was a slip up Ron. It could have happened to anyone."

"A slip up?" Ron practically yelled. "I almost died Harry! If it weren't for Dr. Black I wouldn't be sitting here!"

"You don't think I know that Ron!" Harry said matching Ron's agitation with his own. Ron scowled at him. Harry looked away from the piercing glare of his best friend.

He looked around his office. Papers were scattered on the floor from when he bumped into a stack on his way out the door in a hurry a few days ago. Papers and books were stacked on both white leather armchairs that were now stationed on opposite sides of the room. 'I guess it's better than clothes.' he thought as an involuntary smile appeared on his lips.

"What are you smiling about?" Ron asked, bringing Harry out of his thoughts. All signs that Ron was agitated were now gone and replaced by curiosity.

"Nothing." Harry said quickly. "Just look at this place." There was amusement in his voice.

Ron laughed. "Yeah mate. How can you stand it?"

"Shut up Ron. You're the same way." Harry said, and they both erupted in laughter. When they calmed down Harry took out his wand and waved it causing his papers and books that were scattered and piled around the room to reorganize themselves. "I can't believe I let this place get so bad." He said absentmindedly. "It wasn't even this bad when Draco took me in."

Ron looked at Harry with wide eyes. "Drac- Draco? When the hell was Malfoy here? And when did he become Draco? What the hell happened when I was on assignment?"

Harry turned a light shade of scarlet, and gave Ron a sheepish smile. Harry took a seat in one of the white leather chairs that had gone back to its rightful place in front of Harry's desk. "It's a bit difficult to explain." Harry said rubbing the back of his neck.

"Just try mate."

Harry looked at Ron sheepishly. Harry didn't know where to start. He knew one thing though. He didn't want to tell Ron that he was kicked out and ended up living with Draco. He knew that it wouldn't sit well with Ron that he was living with their old school nemesis. 'Ron always did hate Draco' Harry thought. 'God he probably doesn't even know about me and Ginny. How am I going to explain that?'

"Harry, are you okay?" Ron asked now standing in front of Harry. Harry jumped in his seat at Ron's proximity. "A little jumpy I see." Ron took the seat in front of Harry. "So are you going to explain?"

"Well... Er... Do you... Has Hermione or Ginny told you?"

"Told me what?" Ron asked confusion lacing his voice.

"What happened between us?"

"What happened between you and who?" Ron asked. The crease that had appeared between his brows deepened.

Harry sighed. "Of course they haven't told you. Why would they?" Harry said as he looked at the floor. Harry sighed again before telling Ron about him and Ginny. He started on the day they had their fight that lead with Harry being kicked out of his house. Ron had kept relatively calm when Harry told him about Draco coming to deliver the letter from Ginny a little over a weak ago. Although he lost it when Harry told him about the contents of the letter.

"She what?" He yelled loud enough for the Doctor and Nikmore to hear from their office three rooms away.

"Ron calm down." Harry said trying to push Ron back into his seat.

"Calm down? Harry you're accusing my sister of cheating on you. She wouldn't do that. She loves you." Ron was fuming. How could Harry say such a thing? 'He's lying. That's the only explanation.' He thought.

"If you want out Harry all you have to do is say it! You don't need to create such a story!"

Harry went to the waste basket next to his desk and rummaged through it for a little bit before taking out a crumpled piece of parchment with words written in red ink. Harry had thrown the letter away after his talk with Nikmore. He didn't see the point in keeping it anymore. The papers were signed, Ginny was no longer his wife, so why should he keep a letter from her stating that she had cheated on him. It was only going to cause him more pain. Harry was actually surprised to find the parchment still in the wastebasket.

Harry handed the crumpled letter to Ron, who took it wearily. Ron slowly un-crumpled it and read it. His face fell as he reached the second paragraph. He couldn't believe what he was reading. His sister really did cheat on Harry. Ron collapsed into his chair and looked up at Harry with sympathetic eyes. "I'm sorry." Is all he said before looking at the floor in shame. He couldn't believe he was related to someone that could betray someone like that.

"It's okay Ron. It's not your fault." Harry said gingerly laying a hand on Ron;s shoulder. "Besides the papers are signed so she can do whatever-"

"You signed papers?" Ron asked, a bewildered look in his eye.

"Yeah."

"What? When?" Ron asked frantically.

"Yesterday."

"Why? Didn't you talk about it first? You aren't even going to try and fix things between you two?"

"What's there to fix? She cheated on me, she doesn't love me and she sent me the papers." Harry said with a shrug of his shoulders. Ron looked at Harry with disbelief in his eyes, and a slack jaw. "Well actually I only signed them after something Draco said." Harry said absentmindedly.

"Something Malfoy said?" Ron asked with disbelief. "Are you even listening to yourself Harry?"

"He took me in Ron. He listened to me. He defended me against Ginny." Harry said conveniently leaving out the fact that Draco had called Ginny a whore. "He made some good points."

Ron couldn't say anything. Every time he tried the words got stuck in his throat so a deathly silence fell between the two. After a long silence Ron remembered why he had come into Harry's office for in the first place. He took in a few slow deep breaths before saying "I'm resigning."

Harry's head whipped up from looking at his lap to his friend. "What?"

"I'm resigning. I already talked about it with Hermione and she thinks I should leave too. I talked to George and he says that I can help him run Weasleys Wizard Wheezes." Ron said, his eyes never leaving the floor.

"Why?"

"The attack." Ron said simply.

Harry nodded, fully understanding what he meant. "About that Ron, we have to talk about what happened. You know how it is." Ron nodded solemnly. He really didn't want to recall what happened, but he knew he had to.

Harry got up and walked behind his desk. He took out a few pieces of parchment, a quill and an ink will to wright down what he thought was important. He also took out his tape recorder. He knew that he should use his Quick Quotes Quill, but he hated the thing. It reminded him of Rita Skeeter. He found out early in the game that his notes and tape recorder were so much more reliable.

"Okay Ron you know the drill." Harry said as he turned on his tape recorder. "Please state your name for the record."

"Ronald Bilius Weasley."

"Your assignment was to investigate and if possible infiltrate the group associated with making and distributing Fairy Dust, correct?"

"Yes."

"Can you please state for the record how your assignment played out?"

"Through various leads that will remain anonymous I was able to locate and infiltrate the Demon Kings lowest ranks. The Demon King as you know it the man responsible for the distribution of Fairy Dust." Harry nodded and jotted a few notes down. "It really wasn't that difficult to raise through the ranks, and within a month I was trusted enough to meet the man in charge."

"What did you do during that month?"

"I did what they told me. First, I was distributing the merchandise as they call it. At least that's what they thought I was doing. I was actually giving people something that looked like it. They kept coming back so they must have felt something or thought they felt something. Then I was making it. I learned the entire procedure. It involves something they called chemistry." Ron said furrowing his brow and rubbing his temple. "They said it's muggle science. Reminds me of potions, actually. There's some potions and spells involved too. I can give wright it down for you."

Harry looked up from his notes, with a smile. "Please." he said and handed Ron a piece of parchment and a self inking quill. He waited patiently as Ron wrote down what he learned about making Fairy Dust. When Ron was done he handed Harry the parchment and quill. Harry looked it over then placed it to one side of his desk.

"Is that all they had you do?" Harry asked.

"I slowly made my way up and became a boss in charge of one of the sectors, and gained the trust of the other bosses. One day I was invited to a dinner. I wasn't allowed to know where the dinner was. I was picked up from the little apartment I was living in by men in masks."

"Like Death Eater masks?" Harry asked worry in his voice.

Ron shook his head. "No. They were just masks, like one you wear to a masquerade. They were all different. One was red and only covered the mans eyes. Another was blue and gold and covered his entire face. Another had a plain black mask that covered half of his face."

Harry nodded in understanding so that Ron could go on with his story. "They blindfolded me and we disapparated. When they took the blindfold off we were standing in a room with a large table in the middle. There were men in black suits and plain black masks standing around the room. I was the last of the seven bosses to arrive."

"Was the Demon king already there?"

"No. He arrived a little after I sat down."

"Can you describe him?"

"He was average height... Well dressed... A silver mask. He wore gloves almost the entire time. The only time he took them off was when we ate." Ron said trying to remember anything else about the man. "His eyes sort of glowed."

"Glowed?" Harry said with disbelief.

"Yeah. I think he was a werewolf. That's the only thing I could think of, that would have glowing eyes."

Harry nodded, wrote the word werewolf down and underlined it multiple times. "Anything else you can remember about him?" Ron shook his head. "What did you talk about during dinner?"

"Nothing special." Ron said as he squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed his temples. His was starting to get a migraine. "The product I s'ppose."

"You suppose? You mean you don't remember?" Harry asked looking up at Ron somewhat disappointedly.

"I's a bit fuzzy." Ron said as his head began to throb painfully. He looked at Harry through pained eyes.

"Ron are you okay?" Harry asked finally noticing Ron's behavior. When Ron only grunted in pain Harry got up and ran out the door to Dr. Black's office.

"Dray!" He said as he burst through the door. He didn't give the doctor any time to respond. "Something's wrong with Ron!"

The doctor rose from his seat at the sound of distress in Harry's voice. He ran to the cupboard and got the bag of supplies on the bottom shelf and followed Harry out of his office and to Harry's.

When they entered they found Ron curled up on the floor clutching his head. He was biting his lip to stifle his howls of pain. The doctor knelt next to Ron and began to rummage through his bag. "Mr. Weasley I am going to give you some pain relief potion. I need you to open your mouth." Dr. Black said as he found a blue vial. The doctor looked at Ron saying "Mr. Weasley I need you to open your mouth."

Ron shook his head. He didn't want to let out the piercing screams he was managing to keep at bay. "The pain relief will help with whatever is hurting." Dr. Black said calmly. "You need to open your mouth so I can help you." Ron looked at the doctor with tears in his eyes from the pain. He reluctantly nodded and opened his mouth letting out a pained yell. When Ron's yell became nothing more than a whimper the doctor brought the blue vial to his mouth and tilted it.

Right as the first drop of the potion hit Ron's lips he felt the aching pain in his head ease slightly. When he drank the last drop he collapsed onto the floor worn out from the torment his aching head had put him through. "Weasley are you alright?" Ron heard the doctor ask. "How are you feeling?"

"Better." Was all Ron was able to say. Ron tried to stand but fell onto his elbows.

"Can you tell me what caused you pain?" The doctor asked as he helped Ron up and into a seat.

"Massive headache."

"Can you describe this headache for me?" Ron looked at the doctor like he was crazy for wanting an explanation on a headache. "Where was your headache centralized?" The doctor prompted.

"Here." Ron said bringing both hands up and placing his index and middle finger on his temples delicately.

'A number of things can cause a headache there, but the fact that it made him curl up on the floor from the pain eliminated most things.' The doctor thought as he nodded at Ron. 'It has to be something bigger. Something had to have caused this. A curse perhaps?'

"What were you thinking about right before you felt this headache?"

"He was talking to me about his assignment." Harry answered.

The doctor turned to look at Harry nodding, before turning back to Ron. The doctor studied Ron's face. He still looked like he was in pain. His face was pale and he was sweating. "Do you still have this headache?"

"It tingles." Ron said with a shake of his head.

Dr. Black narrowed his eyes. "Your head tingles?"

"No, my brain."

The doctor's eyes widened in realization, for only a second before they closed in dread. 'What kind of idiot uses that spell?' he thought. "I'm sorry Mr. Weasley, I know you just got out but you will have to return to St. Mungos."

0_0

Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed the last 16 chapters. So a few things before you continue:

1\. I'm not too fond of the whole authors note thing so there wont be many.

2\. I'm. not the most punctual person when it comes to updating chapters, but I try my best to update on a regular basis.

3\. I'm so sorry font those of you what had to endure that weird thing where there was numbers in front of the writing.

4\. I started this book on Wattpad and DeviantArt so that's why there are sixteen chapters.

5\. I drew the cover! I'm proud of it so I'm barging.

Okay that's it. I'll update soon. Till next time!


	17. Ch17 Cursed

**Cursed**

"What do you mean he's back at St. Mungo's?" Hermione yelled. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her husband had just been discharged from St. Mungo's and now he had to go back. "Why?" She looked at Dr. Black sternly, willing him to speak.

The doctor sighed, he had already explained why Mr. Weasly was there several times. He rubbed his temples to sooth the headache he was getting. "You tell me why my husband is back at St. Mungo's Draco Malfoy!" Hermione shrieked.

"Granger," the doctor said as calmly as he could, his Malfoy agitation braking through to his voice, "I have already told you why I sent him back, twice. I do not wish to tell you again."

"Then please tell me again, because I still don't understand. I have never read about the spell you are talking about."

"Of course you haven't!" The doctor said finally letting his usual Malfoy personality take precedence. "It's a dark spell Granger. It isn't in books you would read. In fact it is in a total of two books. One is in the secure vaults of the Magical Illness specialist's deep within the catacombs of St. Mungo's, the other in Malfoy Manor."

"Of course _you_ would have heard of it." Hermione instantly regretted the words that came out of her mouth.

The doctors grey eyes darkened dangerously, and he grit his teeth. He clenched his fists tightly as he tried, unsuccessfully, to keep his enraged tremble at bay. "I will explain it once more, so please try to keep up." He said, the furry in his voice was unmistakable. "Weasley has been put under the Obstructionum Memoriae spell. Unlike it's light sister charm Obliviate, that modifies or erases memory, this one does as its name implies. It blocks certain memories the caster wishes to keep hidden but are able to be recovered easily. This spell is also non-detectable, unless you are specifically looking for it. It is an incredibly difficult spell to preform correctly. More often then not it is preformed wrong. When it is cast wrong, like it was on Weasley, it causes unbearable pain, if and only when the inflicted person tries to recall the memory. It also leaves a rather painful tingling sensation on the brain after the person has stopped trying to recall the memory. Do you understand now Granger?" he said now visibly trembling from rage.

Hermione was too afraid of saying something else that she might regret, so instead of opening her mouth she simply nodded her understanding.

"Good." The doctor said and made his way towards the open door. The few people that had stopped in their tracks outside at the sound of the doctors enraged shouts, began to move in the direction they were previously headed. "I will do everything I can to lift the enchantment. I suggest you visit your husband Minister." He said slamming the door behind him.

The doctor made his way to the elevator in a blind rage. 'How dare she bring that up!' he thought to himself. 'What gives her the right to say that! She knows who I am!' He stormed into the elevator, not noticing the unruly haired man that was leaning against the back wall. 'She knows what I've been through! You would think that she of all people would think before she speaks!' Dr. Black hit his fist against the wall closest to him in frustration. The dark haired man's head sprang up at the sound of skin hitting metal. 'I never thought she would say something like that.' The doctor thought as he let his head fall onto the cold metal wall with a soft thud.

The doctor felt a delicate hand touch his shoulder. "Are you okay?" a soft concerned voice asked. Dr. Black instantly recognized it as Harry. Without saying a word he turned and pulled at the front of Harry's robes bringing him closer. He burred his face in the crook of Harry's neck and brought the green eyed man into a tight embrace.

"What's wrong Dray?" Harry asked, bringing one hand to the doctors waist and the other to the mans hair. The doctor refused to speak so he shook his head in reply. All he wanted was to be with _his_ Harry. "Okay." Harry said soothingly as he rubbed circles into the blond mans back. When the elevator doors opened Harry pulled away from the doctor. "Let's go to my office, yeah?"

The doctor nodded and stepped back from the security of Harry's arms. He followed Harry out of the elevator and through the large room. As they walked through the room the urge to grab Harry's hand for comfort was overwhelming. Their unusually close proximity didn't help any. As Dr. Black went to grab Harry's hand a deafening scream was heard through out the room.

Both men froze and whipped their heads in the direction of the deafening cry. Auror Harris suddenly came out of Magical Containment room four yelling "Someone get me Auror Potter and Dr. Black! Now!"

Harry and Dr. Black snapped out of their shock and ran towards Auror Harris, the doctors self loathing mood forgotten.

'Please don't let it be that he touched it.' Harry prayed as they ran towards the door.

"Oh thank goodness!" Auror Harris said when she spotted Harry and the doctor running towards her. She moved to one side allowing Harry and the Doctor entrance to the room.

Both men stopped dead in their tracks as they saw the convulsing form of Auror Elliot Clark on the floor. His entire body was turning a deathly shade of purple. His mouth was open and neck vanes were distended as if he were screaming, but no sound escaped the mans lips.

"I placed a silencing spell on him." Auror Harris said, in explanation as to why they couldn't hear any of the screams the convulsing man was letting out.

The doctors mind was racing in an attempt to help the purple man before him. He knew he had to find the cause of the mans problem before he could do anything else. In the few short moments he had been standing there he had already eliminated the possibility of being hit by a spell. He figured that if there had been some sort of scuffle there would have been more than just one man on the floor requiring attention.

He also ruled out the possibility of poison. There wasn't any sort of cup or container anywhere near the brown haired man. The doctor could only assume that he man had touched something he wasn't supposed to. Although as he looked around the room he found that none of the objects seemed to have been disturbed in anyway. As his eyes swept across the room once more he saw the open cherry stained box on the table. He recognized it instantly.

Dr. Black's breath quickened. "What was in that box?" his voice a little above a whisper.

"Shit." Harry said just as quietly noticing the empty box on the table. "The idiot touched the dagger."

Both men looked back over at Auror Clark in search of the dagger. Dr. Black was the first to see it. Without thinking of possible repercussions he plunged forward and tore the dagger out of Auror Clark's firm grip. The convulsions instantly stopped, and the purple color of his skin slowly began to fade.

Harry dropped to his knees on the opposite side of the doctor. "Elliot." he said as he stretched his hand out to touch the mans chest.

"No. Don't." Dr. Black said slapping Harry's hand away from the body before he could touch it. "We don't know what's wrong. It's best not to touch him." Harry nodded.

"Auror Harris." the doctor said getting up. "Tell Mr. Faedi to call St. Mungo's. We need a pickup by M.I.S. unit." He finally looked away from Auror Clark to nod at Auror Harris to dismiss her. Auror Harris left the room at a sprint.

Harry looked up from the, now, entirely blue man in front of him to the doctor. He gulped audibly. "Dray." he said keeping his voice at a whisper. The doctor turned to look at Harry. Harry wasn't unable to carry on speaking, his body racked with fear. He lifted a shaky hand and pointed at the dagger that was still in the doctors left hand. The Dagger wasn't how Harry remembered it. The tail of the dragon was curled around the doctors wrist, and the blade was now moving like if it were actual fire.

The doctor furrowed his brow at Harry's behavior, but slowly looked down at what he was pointing at. When his eyes finally landed on the dagger his breath hitched. He looked up at Harry with wide eyes that screamed only one word. 'Help.'

Harry looked from the doctors fear stricken eyes to the dagger, when the sight of the Dark Mark caught his eye. Harry instantly knew something was wrong. Dr. Black would never leave his Dark Mark showing for all to see. He was also pretty sure that he had seen the rose tattoo earlier. He opened his mouth to let the doctor know when he heard Nikmor's voice.

"It's not that far now gentlemen."

Harry's eyes darted to the open door, where he could see Nikmor, and Auror Harris followed by five men in black leather robes and gas mask. He extended a hand in the direction of the box that was still lying on the table and said "Accio box." under his breath. When the box landed in his hand he quickly took the few short steps to stand in front of the doctor. "Put it in, quickly!" A sense of urgency in his voice.

The doctor complied and Harry closed the box with a small thud. Harry looked back to see the group of men in black leather robs approaching quickly. Without thinking about the possible consequences that may come from touching Dr. Black, Harry reached over and pulled the doctor behind him.

Nikmor, Auror Harris, and the five men stepped into the room. One of the men in black stepped forward saying "Head Magical Illness Specialist Healer Percival. What happened here?"

"He touched a cursed object." The doctor said stepping around Harry to talk to Healer Percival.

"Dr. Black!" Harry practically yelled stopping the doctor from continuing the conversation with the M.I.S. Healer. "It is quite chilly in here, wouldn't you agree?" Harry said casting pointed glances at the doctors left forearm. Nikmor was the first to understand what Harry was trying to get at. His eyes followed Harry's glance and landed on the Dark Mark that adorned the Doctor's pale skin.

The doctor furrowed his brow in confusion until he noticed Harry's pointed glances and looked down at his forearm to see his Dark Mark on display. "Oh, Yes. It is quite chilly in here." He said as he rolled down his sleeves. No one noticed Nikmor sliding out of the room, with a smirk playing upon his lips.

"Yes, well chills aside, I still haven't gotten a good explanation as to what happened here." The man said motioning to the now light blue Auror on the floor.

"When we arrived he was a rather dark shade of purple, and violently convulsing. How soon after he touch the object did the curse activate I do not know." Dr. Black answered.

"It happened immediately." Auror Harris spoke up.

The M.I.S. Healer hummed in acknowledgment before ordering his men to stop standing around and do their jobs. He then turned back to the doctor and said "Where is this object?"

"Auror Potter has secured it into the box it originally came in." Dr. Black said motioning to the box Harry had clutched tightly in his hands.

"I presume he is an Auror." he asked looking between the three people in front of him. They nodded. "Why did he touch it?"

"That is a good question. I specifically told him not to." Harry said looking at Auror Harris accusingly. "Did you let him touch it?"

"What? No! I would never willingly let him do something as stupid as that." Auror Harris spluttered. "About ten minutes after you left he wanted to touch it. I was able to deter him from touching it for about fifteen minutes. That is until he changed tactics and said he only wanted to run a diagnostic on it, so I let him. He told me that it was negative for any kind of curses, or dark magic for that matter. I thin checked it myself to be certain, and came up with the same results."

"Nothing?" Harry asked. He didn't understand how that was possible. It was clearly cursed and he got the feeling he always got when an object was cursed, or tampered with.

"The results of both tests are on the table." Both Harry and Healer Percival walked to the table to see the results.

The further down the parchment Harry read the more confused he got. 'This is impossible.' he thought. He tore his eyes away from the parchment to look at the unconscious man. "This makes absolutely no sense. How does a curse that can do this," he motioned to Auror Clark "not come up in a scan. It... It's impossible." Harry's gaze fell on Auror Harris as she continued with her recollection of events.

"I know sir. I found it peculiar that you would tell us not to touch it but the scans come up clear, because you are rarely if not ever wrong about these sort of things." she said looking straight into Harry's cloudy confused eyes. "Because of this I wouldn't let him touch it. Surprisingly he listened, that is until that box sprung open." She said pointing to a black box on one of the far shelves. "I went to check it and that's when I heard him scream. When I turned around he was already a dark shade of purple, and shaking violently."

At that moment one of the men in black spoke up. "Sir, scans say he's clear... Absolutely clear." He looked at the men around him. "According to the scans he is perfectly healthy."

"I'm sorry?" The Healer Percival asked, a brow raised. "Let me see." He extended an arm and took the parchment the other man handed him. He read the parchment carefully, humming in confusion as he read the page. When he was done he slowly looked up from the parchment and turned to face Harry. "I will be taking this," He raised the parchment that healed Auror Clark's scan on the dagger "seeing at you have two."

"Of course."

The M.I.S. Healer turned back to his men and said. "We're taking him with us, make sure not to touch him. Be extremely careful. We have a peculiar case on our hands boys."

"Yes sir!" The men in black chorused and marched out of the room levitating Auror Clark on a stretcher.

"Now," He said turning to face the three Ministry workers, "We are usually supposed to take the cursed object, but seeing these scans we could use all the help we can get. I will be leaving it with you to find out why these tests turned out negative. I believe you will have more success on that front than us. Just make sure to send me what you find. Thank you all for your assistance. Have a nice day." The man promptly left, without another word.

Dr. Black broke the silence that had overcome the room "Right. I should get going. I have Mr. Weasley waiting for me at St. Mungo's." He swept out of the room in a fashion that reminded Harry of Professor Snape.

Dr. Black was halfway down the hall when he was stopped by a firm grip in his left arm. On instinct he whirled around with his wand pointed at the offending person's throat. He let out a relieved sigh when he saw a wide eyed Harry Potter. "Arias!" he said bringing down his wand "I'm sorry, you scared me."

Harry smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. I was just wondering if I could come with you?"

"Of course Arias, but you didn't have to ask. Auror Weasly is your friend is he not? It is only natural for you to wish to see him." Harry's cheeks tinted a rosy pink color and Dr. Black couldn't help but smile. "Come." He said as he grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him out of the room and into the elevator.

"Um... Dray?" Harry asked once they were behind the closed doors of the elevator. Dr. Black hummed in response. "Your um... Mark..." He said hesitantly. "Have you er... Is it.."

"Oh! Right." Dr. Black said catching on to what Harry was trying to ask. He lifted the hand that was still holding Harry's and rolled up the sleeve with his right hand. He took out his wand and waved it over his forearm in an intricate pattern.

Harry marveled as he watched the Dark Mark slowly turned into a beautiful dark purple rose.

"I thought the Dark Mark couldn't be concealed. How do you...?" Harry started.

"It's an extremely powerful concealing enchantment. It took me ages to find it." The doctor said. "It's not... exactly... light. But it's not dark either." Harry nodded.

The doors to the elevator opened. Harry squeezed the doctors had before letting go and walking into the atrium of the Ministry.

"Hello Mr. Weasley, Minister, Arias." Dr. Black said as he entered the room, followed by a woman in light blue Healers robes. "This is Mind Healer Amelia Hayes." He said motioning to the woman standing next to him. She had her dark black hair tied up into a messy bun and a beautiful violet pinned to the right side of her head.

Mind Healer Hayes smiled brightly. "It is certainly nice to meet you all."

"Why does Ron need a Mind Healer?" Hermione asked indignantly.

Dr. Black looked from Hermione to his patient sitting in bed. Ron looked to be in a daze. He didn't seem to understand, nor realize what was happening around him. "Healer Hayes?"

"Yes I see it Dr. Black."

"Minister, Arias if you would please accompany me outside."

"What? Why?" Hermione's voice rose a few octaves.

"I have to preform a through check on your husband's mind Minister. It will only take a moment." Healer Hayes said sweetly.

"I don't understand. Why do I have to leave the room?"

"Unfortunately, because the check up I am about to preform is... rather invasive. It is because of how invasive this spell is that It is best that you are not present when I dive into his mind. I usually get permission from my patient before I do this, but seeing as your husband is a little out of sorts at the moment I need to preform it to find out what's wrong. " At Hermione's bewildered look she walked over to one side of Ron. "I would like you to look at your husband Minister, and tell me what you see."

Hermione looked at the young Mind Healer for a few seconds before turning to look at Ron. She noticed that he was looking around the room, but it was like he wasn't really seeing anything as he turned his head. "He looks like he's in a world of his own."

"Exactly Minister."

Hermione looked at the Mind Healer. Her eyes began to glisten with unshed tears, she didn't know she had been keeping at bay. "What's wrong with my husband?"

"I don't know Minister, but that is what I am going to find out." Healer Hayes said with a reassuring smile.

"Come on Hermione." Harry said quietly. "Lets go get a cup of tea yeah?" He asked as he extended a hand towards her. "I'm sure Healer Hayes will come find us when she's done."Harry glanced at Healer Hayes for confirmation.

"Yes. Of course."

"See? Ron will be fine Hermione. Come on." Harry said reassuringly.

Hermione looked at Ron with sad eyes. She didn't want to leave Ron alone, not after all that had happened. She wanted to stay by his side. She wanted to be with him at the young Mind Healer before her dived into her husbands mind to find out what was wrong. Even though her heart was telling her to stay, her brain was telling her to leave so the Healer could do her job properly. With a squeeze upon Ron's hand and a kiss to his check she left the room tucked under Harry's arm.

"He'll be fine Hermione. You know Ron, he likes to scare us but he always manages to pull through in the end." Harry said and squeezed Hermione's hand reassuringly.

Hermione looked up from her tea cup with a sad smile and said "I know, but I still worry. I'll always worry about him."

"Me too. We just have to think positive."

"Minister?" a gentle voice said causing both Harry and Hermione to look up into a pair of dark blue, almost black, eyes.

"Healer Hayes." Hermione said standing up so fast that her chair crashed to the floor. "How is he?" There was worry and hope in her eyes. Harry bent over and picked up her chair.

"Your husband will be just fine Minister." Healer Hayes said with a bright smile. "Please Minister, sit down. There really is no need to stand." Hermione sat down reluctantly, and waited anxiously as Healer Hayes took a seat opposite her. "I have both good and bad news. I will start with the bad."

Hermione nodded and held her breath as the Healer before her continued. "As Dr. Black suspected, your husband is under the influence of Obstuctionum Memoriae, and it was preformed badly. He seems to have locked himself in his mind. Now if he did that intentionally or if that was just a side affect of the poorly preformed spell I do not know. That in mind, I can retrieve your husbands consciousness and I can reverse the damage that has been done. It will however take me time... A lot of time."

0_0

Hey guys, long time no see... Figuratively speaking. So a few things.

1\. I'm so sorry it too k me a while to update. I went brain dead halfway through the chapter. I was literally just staring at the computer for a few days. I had to scrap the chapter and start again. It was horrible!

2\. The next chapter is Harry and Nikmor's date, so if anyone has anything they would like for them to talk about please comment.

That's all. Till next time. Happy reading.


	18. Ch18 Primis Solem

**Primis Solem**

The next few days were stressful for Harry and Hermione to say the least. Despite Healer Hayes' assurances, they were fearful that Ron wouldn't pull through. The treatment Healer Hayes was putting Ron through didn't seem to be making a difference. In fact it seemed to be making him worse. When Hermione had voiced her concerns, Mind Healer Hayes said that she had to first map Ron's brain before she could do anything to heal him. "If I don't map his brain first" the Healer told her, "I could run into a number of problems that will put both your husband and me at risk. By mapping his brain the way I am, I am insuring that your husband comes back with as little scars as possible."

Hermione understood that Healer Hayes was doing everything she could to save Ron, but this did not stop her mind from beginning to overflow with scenarios where Healer Hayes would encounter problems and Ron would come out dead. This terrified her immensely, and impaired her ability to work. In the end she handed her duties to her support staff and took a leave of absence to clear her head.

Harry, on the other hand, while worried for his best friend, plunged himself into his work. He, Auror's Harris, Davis and Thompson worked tirelessly on figuring out why or what could have caused the daggers results to come out clear of anything dangerous. They spent most of their time between the Ministry library looking through tomes and the Archives looking over case files that might give them a clue as to what they were dealing with. So far their efforts were fruitless.

Before he knew it, it was Friday. He was exhausted, and couldn't remember the last time he had a decent night's sleep. He knew he had been _home._ He could remember Draco's concerned expression that morning when he sat at the table staring at his breakfast.

 _"Perhaps you should stay home today. Get some rest."_ He remembered Draco saying when he made to get up from the table. _"You look like utter shite, Harry."_ But he was being particularly stubborn this morning and so without another word he got up and left the apartment. He regretted his decision the second he heard the door slam behind him, but he would be damned if he went back in there and admitted Draco was right, so he went to work.

He now stood in Magical Containment Room Seven with _the box_ sitting on the small metal table. He left his fellow Aurors in the Ministry Archives when all three of them demanded he go home for some needed rest. He really did mean to go home, but his feet had led him to the room instead.

Harry slowly lifted the beautifully crafted lid, to see the equally beautifully crafted dagger laying inside. He stared at it admiring its beauty all the while taking in shaky breaths.

"Arias." Dr. Black said as he clasped his hand over Harry's wrist, stopping him before he could touch the dagger. Harry looked up at him with tired eyes. Dr. Black brought Harry into his arms. Harry's whole body leaned on the doctor for support. "Don't touch it Harry. You don't know what it could do to you. "He said into Harry's ear as he rubbed soothing circles on Harry's back. In response Harry laid his head in the crook of the doctor's neck, and nodded.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence Dr. Black leaned back and cradled Harry's face in his hands. Harry looked at him through half lidded eyes. "Go home Harry. Get some rest, proper rest. It looks like you haven't slept in days." Harry only nodded. "Would you like it if I took you home?"

Harry looked at him for a moment as what the doctor said sunk in, then smiled and said "I'd like that. I'll meet you by the elevator. I still have to get my stuff."

"All right." Dr. Black leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss to Harry's forehead. He smiled at Harry's slightly widened eyes. "I'll meet you by the elevator." He said and left Harry to his stupor.

After a few moments Harry collected himself and placed the box in one of the shelves, before leaving and walking to his office. When he entered his office he was startled by a voice that said, "Finally!"

Harry jumped and aimed his wand into the dark in the direction the voice came from.

"Relax Harry. It's just me." The voice said as the other person turned on the lights with a flick of their wand.

Harry sighed in relief seeing a familiar face sitting on his couch. "You scared me Niko." Harry walked towards his desk and grabbed his coat from the back of his chair before he realized that he locked his door before he left to the for the Ministry Archives for the day. He slowly lifted his head and looked at Nikmor from across the room. "How did you get in here? I locked the door this morning."

Nikmor smirked. "I have my ways." He said slyly.

Harry was going to ask him to explain further but he realized that he was too tired and he didn't much care to find out. "Whatever." He murmured instead. "Look, not that I'm not glad to see you but I'm really tired and going home. So, if you would..." Harry said as he opened the door, his coat on and satchel over his shoulder.

Nikmor smiled as he slowly got up off the couch and walked towards Harry. "Alright Harry. Meet me at Regent's park, The Avenue Gardens, by the Griffin Lion Tazza Vase at ten o'clock." Nikmor said, and walked towards his and Dr. Black's office.

"Er... Why would I do that?" Harry asked at an utter loss.

"You hurt me Harry." Nikmor said feigning hurt. "For our date."

"Oh..." Harry was trying to remember agreeing to a date. "Oh! Yes! I must be too tired and forgotten for a moment."

"I'll see you then Harry."

The next morning Harry woke up in bed, groggily wondering where he was. It took him a few minutes to realize he was in Scorpius' room. 'How did I get here?' He thought. Though waking up mysteriously in bed was not a first for Harry. He always figured the House Elves levitated him to bed, but waking up in bed without any recollection of getting home was puzzling.

The last thing he remembered was falling unconscious in Doctor Black's arms, half way to the Ministry Atrium. He laid beeper into his bed as he tried to remember anything about getting home, and into bed. After a few minutes he gave up and instead focused on his dream of Draco carrying him through the lobby, through _their_ apartment and laying him in bed. His favorite part of his dream was when Draco kissed him goodnight. The kiss was so tender and loving. It was better than anything Harry had ever imagined it would be.

He began to doze off when he remembered that he had a 'date' in what was probably a few hours. He jumped out of bed and into the shower like his life depended on it. Thirty minutes later Harry was standing in The Avenue Gardens staring at the Griffin Lion Tazza Vase.

He sighed. 'I'm thirty minutes early.' He thought. 'I could have stayed in bed longer. I could have eaten slower, and actually had a decent conversation with Draco!' He sighed again. 'I should have at least told him where I was going.'

"Harry!" Nikmor's voice cut through Harry's thoughts and he turned to face him. "You're early." Nikmor said flashing him a bright smile.

Harry gave him a sheepish smile. "Yeah I sort of..." He trailed off not knowing how to finish.

"There's no shame in being eager Harry." NIkmor said flashing him a smile. "Now come on." He grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him along.

There was a few minutes of silence until Harry asked "Where are we going?"

"Oh! Yes! I'm sorry, I was so excited to finally be going out with you that I forgot to tell you my plan for today. We are going to the muggle Zoo, they have here. Ever been?"

"Once." Harry said as he looked around the gardens.

"Really? Is it nice?"

"I don't really remember."

"Shame. I've never been. I've come to the Gardens before, they always remind me of home, but never the Zoo. I never wanted to go alone." There was another bout of silence, until Nikmor abruptly came to a stop. "Are you okay Harry? You seem a bit out of it." Nikmor asked concern in his voice.

"Huh? Oh, I'm fine. Just a bit tired." Harry gave him a small grin in apology. "I have been working myself too hard recently."

"I see. If you would like we could go to my place, rest there? I don't really care what we do as long as we spend the day together."

"No. The Zoo sounds lovely. I need that kind of break with the week I've had."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"Alright. Come on, It's a fair walk from here. I thought the walk would be nice, that's why I asked you to meet me here." Harry nodded.

They walked up the Board walk making idle chit chat. They stopped at the Boardwalk Cafe for something to drink before continuing. When they hit the Ready Money Drinking Fountain they made their way to the front of the park, listening to the sounds that they could hear coming form inside the Zoo.

"Tell me about yourself Harry." Nikmor said, as they walked hand in hand through the Reptile House.

"Um... Well..." Harry thought about what to tell his date. Then he chuckled at the memory that came to him. "I accidentally got my cousin stuck into one of the exhibits here."

"What! How?"

Harry then proceeded to tell him the story, as they walked looked at al the different reptiles. When he was done they both fell into a fit of laughter.

"I can't believe you did that Harry!" Nikmor cried out after he rained in his laughter.

Harry smiled widely and lifted his hands in a sort of surrender. "It was accidental! I had no control over my magic. I was ten!"

"Okay, okay. I'll give you that. But you laughed afterwords! That! That is the part that gets me."

"It was funny." Harry shrugged. "Besides he deserved it."

"How can you say that Harry? You don't seem like the type of person that would revel in another person's suffering. Well in this case entrapment."

Harry shrugged in reply. There was a silence while Nikmor stared at Harry with curiosity and Harry stared at the ground wishing it would eat him whole. He had said more than he would have liked. The Dursley's were always a sore spot for him.

Realizing he wasn't going to get an answer, Nikmor sighed and said. "So, you speak Parseltongue?"

Harry whipped his head up looking at Nikmor fear in his eyes. "Er... No. Not anymore."

"Hmmm, shame." he said as he walked towards the door of the Reptile House. "Its an amazing ability. It's sad that no one has it anymore." He stopped as he opened the door and looked back at Harry. "Aren't you coming Harry? We still have an entire Zoo to see."

Harry stared at Nikmor in awe as what he said sunk in. "Yeah!" He finally choked out a little above a whisper and walked out of the Reptile House with Nikmor at his side.

They took their time walking through the different exhibits. Nikmor would ask Harry about his life in both the Muggle and Wizarding worlds and Harry would answer most of his questions as long as they weren't too personal and didn't bring up bad memories. At around two o'clock they stopped to eat. They ate in a comfortable silence enjoying each others presence. The only time the silence was broken was when Nikmor told Harry that he made reservations at an Italian place for dinner. When they finished eating they had only an hour left before closing so they decided to leave and walk around the parks again.

It was only once Harry had stepped foot into The Garden of Eden did he realize that he was famished. The restaurant was beautiful, of that Harry had no doubt, but something didn't sit right with him. Every fiber in his body was telling him to find an exit and leave, but he pushed the urge down and continued following the waitress through the restaurant.

The first floor had light colored walls to contrast the dark maple paneling of the floor. In the middle of the room was a wire tree with twinkling lights encompassing it that lit up in an alternating pattern.

"This floor is for muggles." Nikmor whispered into his ear. "We'll be dining in the second floor. That floor caters to magical being of every kind. Well, magical being that can afford it." Harry nodded.

The waitress led them up a beautiful wooden staircase the same dark maple of the floor, but as they climbed it slowly lightened in color until it was a light honey color. They walked onto a small landing and walked closer to a pair of double doors the same honey color as the stairs. There was a silver plaque on the door that read 'Restricted Do Not Enter'.

"Right through here gentleman." The waitress said as the doors opened at a wave of her hand.

Harry could tell from the lack of noise that there was a silencing charm around the room, or at least the door. The floor was made of black and white marble. On one side was a a wall to wall window with a beautiful view of London. The opposite side of the room had sparkling white stone and stained glass decorations every few feet that changed colors from lilac and gold to a sky blue and gold. There was little orbs of light that danced and twinkled around the room.

"It's beautiful." Harry said in awe. He closed his eyes allowing himself to feel the magic that danced across the room. It sent small tingles through his body, but there was still something unsettling about the restaurant.

"That it is." Nikmor said as he stared at Harry with a small smile on his lips. "Come on." He lightly squeezed Harry's forearm to get his attention. "Our seat is this way."

Harry continued to look around the room as Nikmor pulled him to their table in silence.

"Watch your step." Nikmor said as they came to a stop.

"Huh?" Harry said as he looked at Nikmor, but found the Elf taller than he was not a second or two before.

"Your step, Harry. Watch your step. Our table is on a platform." Nikmor said smiling widely at Harry's confused looking face.

Harry looked down, and sure enough a few inches from the tips of his toes was a step that led to their table. "Oh." His cheeks turned a faint rosy color as he stepped onto the platform and slid into his seat next to Nikmor.

The waitress placed two menus in front of them saying, "I'll give you a few moments to look it over." But before she could leave Nikmor spoke.

"Actually we'll have a bottle of Rosso Conero, and two glasses of water. " He turns to Harry saying "Sound good to you?"

"Er... Yeah, just fine."

"Wonderful, I'll bring the drinks in a moment." the waitress said before turning on her heel and making for the door.

Harry watched the waitress leave, before looking around the room once more. slowly his eyes made their way to the window. His breath got caught in his throat. For all the time he had lived in London, and all the trips he had with his family he had never gotten a good look of it. Of the London Eye. In his opinion it was absolutely breathtaking.

"Beautiful, Isn't it?" Nikmor asked softly.

"Yeah, beautiful." He answered absentmindedly.

"It's not real though." That comment broke Harry out of his daze. He turned his head to look at his dinner partner, who was looking out the window. "It was either this or Big Ben, but I thought you would like the Eye better."

"What?"

Nikmor turned to face Harry with a small smile saying, "It's magic Harry. The view I mean." Harry looked at the window before looking at Nikmor again with a look that asked him to continue. "If the view were real, you would have seen The Eye before we walked into the restaurant. Besides we're no where near the Thames." Nikmor chuckled.

Harry chuckled at his own obliviousness, and slight stupidity. He then looked down at his menu, as did Nikmor. The waitress came back a few seconds later, a bottle of wine in an ice bucket and two wine glasses at hand. She set the glasses down and made a show of popping the cork before poring the wine. She left with a polite smile and a soft "I'll be back in a few moments to take your orders."

"Niko." Harry said a few minutes into looking over his menu.

Nikmor looked up from his menu. "Yes Harry?"

"Well... Dr. Black told me that you are a Half Elf, is that true?"

"Yes. I thought I told you that already?"

"No... well I mean, you told me you were an Elf, not a Half Elf. "

"Does it really matter that I didn't specify?" Nikmor tilted his head.

"Dr. Black told me that there are major differences between a Half and Full Elf. He didn't really go into specifics, but what he did tel me was... Interesting." Nikmor raised a brow, signaling his inquiry. "He told me that even if a Half Elf's mate dies they can still live without them, as where a Full Blooded Elf would die."

"I see." Nikmor tool a sip of his wine before continuing. "While he's not wrong, it is still rather difficult to move on without one's mate. For a half Elf that is. It isn't as painful as the pain a Full Elf goes through but is is still a struggle. That's why finding a new purpose in life helps."

Harry nodded, his brows furrowed as he nodded slowly. "I understand. I'm sorry to bring this up, I was just curious."

"It is alright Harry. It is natural to be curious. Now have you chosen what you want to eat?"

"Oh yeas I think I'll try the Forentina Steak."

"That is a rather good choice. It is very good here. As for me I will have their finest Risotto."

Their dinner was quiet, other than the utensils that clinked on their plates and the occasional praise from Harry. For dessert Nikmor ordered a Strawberry Tartufo for them to share. Halfway through dessert Harry breaks the silence that somewhere around the middle of dinner had become slightly tense.

"Tell me more about yourself Niko. Please?"

"What would you like to know?"

"Anything. We talked about me all day. I would like to hear about you."

NIkmor smiled. "Fair enough. Let... Me... See... Oh Yes! This is something I've been meaning to bring up for a while now. To be honest I wanted to tell you the second I met you."

"Really?" Harry asked.

"Oh yes. You see, I'm in a sort of... secret organization." Harry's brows went up in shock, not expecting what Nikmor had said. Nikmor smirked slightly. "We would like for you to join us."

Harry's brows when up further towards his hairline. "Why?"

"You would be a wonderful asset, to our... organization." Harry missed the small pause in Nikmor's words.

"What do you do?"

"Well we don't really support the magical, Muggle co-mingling."

Harry's mind immediately jumped to the worst. "No!" He whisper yelled. "I won't join a group that kills Muggles."

"Kill Muggles!" Nikmor said, astounded by the accusation. "Oh, no, no, Harry. You've got it all wrong. We don't want to kill Muggles. We just don't like how Muggle-borns are slowly eradicating our culture, wizard culture by bringing in theirs."

"I don't understand."

"There are many wizarding holiday's and traditions that have been lost to time. More specifically they have been lost because Muggle-borns bring in their culture and expect us to celebrate their holidays, their traditions. Have you ever heard of Primis Solem, Harry?" Harry shook his head. "I thought as much. Primis Solem, it means 'The First Sun.' It is said that during the month of April, no one really knows the precise date, that the first rays of magic were gifted to us by Hecate herself. It was our first taste of magic. Our first light, Our first day in the sun with magic at our disposal. That is the true reason we take what the Muggles call an Easter holiday."

Harry didn't know what to say, so he settled for a look of astonishment. Nikmor chuckled. "You look adorable Harry."

Harry ducked his head down to try and cover up his bright red cheeks. He cleared his throat. "Why don't they teach this in school?"

Nikmor sighed. "It was never in the curriculum in the first place. Holidays, and traditions used to be practiced, there was no need for them to be taught. When they started disappearing no one noticed. No one cared. Those that did notice couldn't do anything to bring them back."

"I'll join." Harry said taking Nikmor's hand that was resting on the table. "What's your organization called?"

"I'm glad, you'll join Harry but I can't tell you the name. It is a bit of a secret."

"Then how can I join?"

"You've already gotten your invitation, actually."

"I have?"

"Oh, Yes." There was a mischievous glint in Nikmor's eyes. "It's... sort of a puzzle that you have to figure out."

O-O

Hey guys, sorry for the unexpected, and uncalled for hiatus. I didn't mean to leave you guys high and dry. School just got so stressful and I could find no time to write. But hey! I'm back! I hope I can update on a semi-regular basis now that summer is here. Anyway I hope you guys liked this chapter. Till next Time!


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